


The Bond of Heavenly Bodies

by Blondehairstripe, Flirtatious_Freckles



Series: Celestial Duet [2]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: AU where the DK never fell, Aged-Up Character(s), Celestial Duet AU, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time, Fluff, Fumbling Dorks, Hurt/Comfort, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), New Incantation, Older Varian (Disney), Sporadic Instances of Magical Influence, Varian whump, chapters with spice will have a warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:15:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29251332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondehairstripe/pseuds/Blondehairstripe, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flirtatious_Freckles/pseuds/Flirtatious_Freckles
Summary: In all of her nineteen years, Rapunzel has never met a man before. But there’s something about this mysterious 'alchemist' that puts her at ease...and excites her in ways she never imagined possible. However, he doesn’t just hold a strange magic that has an extraordinary effect on her own; he also brings the possibility of the unthinkable—leaving her tower without her mother's permission.Struggling to accept the magic that’s been thrust upon him, Varian is torn between trying to unravel the circumstances that led him to the hidden tower…and getting to know the captivating girl who’s lived there her entire life. But when he starts to piece together that Rapunzel might not be as content in her tower as she’d have him believe, he knows he can’t just leave her, magical bond or not.
Relationships: Rapunzel/Varian (Disney)
Series: Celestial Duet [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2133057
Comments: 19
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second installment of our Celestial Duet AU Series. If you haven't already, go check out [A Moonlit Meeting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29073561) so you can start this fic with an understanding of what's happening.

* * *

Sunlight leaking into her room woke Rapunzel as it always did, gently and naturally as she waded through the last dredges of sleep. It was a warm wake up this morning…she almost felt smothered in the warmth of her duvet as she slowly eased her focus down into her softened muscles. It was oddly heavy too—her hair must have bundled up on her again during the night.

She opened her eyes as she felt like it, lazily letting them flutter open. As the bundle before her came into focus, hazy recollections of the night's events flitted between her thoughts. _He was still here_. The thought pleased her in a way that seemed novel, but the morning grogginess left her a little too dazed to linger on it long.

Her hair had draped itself over them during the night, weaving under the covers and around the man lying beside her. The magic in her hair was ever present, gently shimmering in the morning light. It was an odd, blonde nest it had chosen to make—almost enough to make her giggle, but she held back as not to disturb the sleeping beauty beside her.

She brushed away some locks that had fallen over his face, revealing the same tanned complexion from the night before. In the grace of the morning, she could see no trace of the glow she vaguely remembered. But there remained a healthy splash of auburn freckles on either side of a long, pert nose. Some ran down his jaw, which was more shapely than her own, but still soft and inviting. She cupped her hand along his cheek, gently rubbing her thumb into the soft flesh—

He was _real_. He was real and here and _there was a man in her bed_ and he was _real_. Anxiety clawed at her throat like hungry teeth and she drew her hand back sharply. He— _Varian_ , came a name—didn't move. He remained sound asleep, wrapped in the waves of her hair, her precious wonderful magic hair that wasn't hers to share.

The feeling of something soft caressing his face gently eased Varian from his slumber, coaxing his brain into the routine process of wakefulness. But then the pleasant touch stopped, and a soft, gravelly groan worked its way from his throat before his eyes slowly blinked open.

It was hazy at first, but the golden-ish blur he at first mistook for a particularly vibrant sunbeam on the ceiling soon came into focus as…

Oh. The beautiful girl from his dream. The soft morning rays highlighted the delicate features of her heart-shaped face and caught in her golden hair, making her look almost angelic. Wow, she was even prettier in person, wasn’t she?

A few seconds ticked by as the last vestiges of sleep finally faded from his mind, taking with it the dreamlike quality of the moment, and his eyes popped wide as he shot up with a gasp. Or at least he attempted to, but found himself tangled in the sheets and…and was this _hair_?

“Wh-what the—” The previous night’s events flashed through his mind—discovering the tower, singing, holding her hand, learning her name, cuddling, the inexplicable feeling of _rightness_ the entire time—it was all so bizarre, but the proof that it hadn’t just been a strange fantasy was lying right next him, and her name was _Rapunzel_. “You’re…you’re actually _real_?!”

“ _I'm_ real?! You're wrapped up in my hair!” Rapunzel rolled back, then squeaked out a yelp as she tumbled off the edge of the bed and landed unceremoniously on the floor. She knocked Pascal's hammock as she fell, jostling the chameleon from his grogginess.

Varian scrambled forward, concern outweighing his confusion for a brief moment. He was on the brink of asking if she was okay when she popped up again, startling him back into the golden nest he had woken up in.

The magical warmth from last night teased at the back of Rapunzel’s mind as she locked eyes with him—but a solid tap of her foot silenced the humming she could feel brewing in her chest. “Why did I—how did you find this tower?” Mother was going to _kill_ her.

“I-I don’t know!” Varian stammered, before gesturing emphatically towards the doorway. “I just…woke up in a tunnel and _saw_ it, I don’t know how…” His brow furrowed, trying to recall how he’d gotten there in the first place. Unlike the night before, those details felt fuzzy and faraway.

Rapunzel’s eyes narrowed. It was certainly suspicious—her tower wasn't supposed to be easy to find. But as the previous night’s events swirled in her mind, fragments leapt forward. A flash of that melody, that _song_ , the sensation of a magic made whole. The glowing, just like her own hair. An _alchemist_ , he had said.

The pieces were confusing, even more so knowing that they were connected by that strange magical lull in her thoughts. Her magic had never been so… _assertive_ with her. It normally contained itself to her hair, and only came forth for her song.

Pascal took the opportunity to bounce down onto her shoulder, then onto the bed. The mattress barely noted his weight as the lizard stood between them, looking none too pleased with Varian.

“Pascal, it's fine. I got this,” she told him, and her tiny companion balked, one eye rolling to glance at her before taking a few cautious steps back.

For the first time Varian noticed the small green lizard, the unusual sight drawing him from the hazy memories he’d been attempting to dredge from the recesses of his mind. “A chameleon?” he murmured. “But those aren’t native to the Dark Kingdom…”

Honestly, he wanted answers just as much as Rapunzel seemed to, but the fact that she was so insistent on finding out how he’d found her, combined with the information he’d gleaned from the snippets of conversation they’d shared before—was she some sort of prisoner here? She _had_ said she wasn’t supposed to leave, and he hadn’t seen any sort of entrance to the tower. Put together, the situation was actually a bit concerning.

"Hey…" He shuffled forward slightly, but paused when the small chameleon made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a warning. So instead, he slowly lifted his hand, offering it to her in much the same way he had the night before. "Are you…okay?"

Rapunzel blinked, confused. It was… _bizarre_ to have a near stranger asking if she was okay. But…he was so gentle and inviting—just like he’d been last night. She lowered her hunched shoulders.

“I'm—I'm fine. Mostly,” she started, taking a deep breath. “There's a stranger—you—wrapped up in my hair and…and sitting on my bed. You're supposed to be…well, I wasn't sure what to expect, this is kind of the first time this has happened, but you're supposed to be…a lot more aggressive.”

Varian’s brow furrowed. Aggressive? That…was an odd sort of expectation to have. It sounded like she’d been taught to fear people she didn’t know. Probably best not to make any sudden moves, in that case.

“I mean…” He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, still keeping the other extended to her. “This is kind of a first for me too. I’ve uh…” He blushed a little, thinking about how close they’d been the night before. “I’ve never…y’know, climbed into a strange tower or…or sung with a girl I just met before.” Or gone to bed with one, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to voice that tidbit.

Fair's fair Rapunzel supposed…she hadn't exactly done any of those things either. But it didn't explain…well, much of anything. Neither of them seemed to have answers, if his confusion was to be believed. “So…you don't have _any_ idea how you got here? None? You're…you’re not here for my hair?”

Varian shook his head. “I…really can’t remember anything that would explain how I got here,” he admitted. Honestly, the last thing he could recall was walking down one of the hallways near the Dark Kingdom’s archives, but anything after that was…hazy at best. “And your hair is… _fascinating_ , don’t get me wrong, but…” He lifted a handful of her hair, letting the silky strands slide from his fingers. “I don’t really know what I’d _do_ with it other than maybe run some tests to determine if it has any unusual properties.”

Some tests? Well, he did say he considered himself a scientist…or an alchemist, whatever that was. “So if you're not here for my _hair_ , then what are you here for?” she asked, leaving aside the magical aspect for the moment. There was no way to digest the events of last night without addressing the strange trance, but maybe she could skirt around it for now.

“Well…I guess…” Varian bit his lip, pondering for a moment what could have possibly motivated him to come here.

From what he remembered he’d had a near-insatiable urge to find something his mind had dubbed ‘the light,’ which had turned out to be Rapunzel herself. And then there had been the drive to be close to her, which he might’ve chalked up to some sort of chemical imbalance of the brain if not for the lyrics of the incantation he’d uncovered in the archives, which had seemed to exacerbate these feelings.

Honestly, that incantation was the only clue he had, especially since he had discovered it right before all of… _this_ happened. The timing couldn’t be coincidental. It left a sour taste in his mouth to think that some form of _magic_ could be at play here—he didn’t _do_ magic—but thus far, there didn’t seem to be a decent scientific explanation. And the only thing he could glean from the lyrics was that it was some sort of love song, which might imply that he was here to…well…

_‘Procreate_ ,’ whispered a tiny voice in the back of his head, and he couldn’t help the flush that overtook his cheeks as he quickly stomped down the borderline indecent thoughts that conjured in his mind. _Focus_ , she’d asked him a question and he was _not_ going to give that as an answer.

“M-my guess is that I’m here for…for _you_ ,” he told her truthfully. “I think the lyrics of that…incantation might be some sort of clue but…well…I haven’t quite figured out what the _purpose_ would be.”

In Rapunzel’s opinion, him being here for _her_ was almost stranger. No one was supposed to know she was here, Mother was sure of it. Though, that also made all of Mother's warnings about people wanting her hair a little odd…but here was a man, though he didn't really fit the descriptions circling in the back of her mind.

Something had led him here, to her, and her hair seemed interested if the nest was any indication. The _incantation_ —the one that had the same melody as her healing song—spoke of love and…entwining. Something about the latter made her almost blush.

“Where did you find the song then?”

Oh _finally_. Something he actually had an _answer_ for. “I found it while I was translating some ancient texts from the Dark Kingdom’s archives,” he answered, almost eagerly. “I thought it was just some old poem from one of the previous kings to his, ah…to his lover, but apparently there’s something _more_ to it.”

Rapunzel’s blush deepened. _A lover_. The intentions here were sounding less benign by the minute, though he seemed to be thrown by the winds of fate as much as she had been, when she was gifted with her hair.

“Alright! How about this: let's try going through the song again.” She could swear she saw her hair shimmer at that. “We can, um, do it as a test of sorts. To see what it wants.“ This was a terrible, _terrible_ idea. But if she was aware of the magical trance-like state, surely that would be enough to help shake her out of it?

Varian’s initial instinct was to balk at the request, because wasn’t that _dangerous_? But then again…how were they supposed to understand what was happening if they didn’t run some tests? In fact, this could be viewed as an _experiment_ of sorts. They were in a contained environment and had an idea of what would happen…perhaps that would give them some level of control over the results.

“Well, I guess if it’ll help us get some answers…we could give it a shot.” Carefully maneuvering around the chameleon— _Pascal_ , she’d called him—he stood from the bed, her hair falling from where it had been draped across his lap and shoulders. “You said it has the same melody as another song you know…do you think that might be the key?”

“Well…” He already knew about the magic, even if he didn't believe it. Mother had always warned her that strangers would be tricky, but it seemed a bit silly for him to play dumb at this point just to get some more magic out of her. “Yes. It has the same melody as another song I know. It seems like too much of a coincidence, right?”

Varian nodded. “So maybe if we start…slow. Like _humming_ , or maybe just speaking the lyrics.” He gave her a crooked smile and a shrug. “Y’know, before jumping right into the song. We could find out which element triggers the…um, _reaction_.”

Rapunzel was nearly distracted by his charming smile, but mentally shook herself so she could focus on what he’d said. Humming…seemed like a bad idea, given how that's how the events of last night had started. “I think just the lyrics would be best for now. Without a melody they're just words.”

She had a point there. “All right, then I’ll…I’ll start.” Clearing his throat behind a closed fist, Varian called the lyrics to mind. “Lover, hear my call, bind your light to mine…” He paused. So far nothing seemed out of the ordinary…

He looked to Rapunzel, wondering if he should continue, or if they should try to replicate the pattern from the night before.

She supposed it only made sense to try to follow last night's pattern, for testing's sake. With a small breath, she nodded and began to recite what she could remember. "Sing our love's duet, and let our souls entwine." The words rang clear in the stillness of the room, a strange echo of them forming in her mind. Taking a deep breath, she felt the tension leaving her tightened muscles. Singing had always calmed her nerves—she couldn't count all the times she had soothed herself by singing to Pascal.

“Two will join as one,” Varian recited, a slight inflection creeping into his voice that he hadn’t meant to let slip. But…he couldn’t bring himself to care, almost eagerly waiting for Rapunzel’s response.

“Yearning shall resign.” That nice, calm feeling was coming back. It felt less out of place than she remembered, more like a cold spot being filled with something warm. Her hair was slipping off the bed, taking on a faint glow as it fell, but it was a distant concern. She could tidy it up later. Right now she’d rather listen to the next part of the incantation, letting her gaze fall back to Varian. A small smell crept up to her lips as she saw the eagerness in his eyes.

It was without thought that Varian took a step closer to her, not even noticing the dull blue glow that was creeping into his bangs and branching in the faintest of thin lines across his cheeks. “Pledge your love to me, and let our souls entwine…” His hand moved forward slightly, his knuckles lightly brushing the backs of hers. She had such a pretty smile…

That fond glow was coming back. Those beautiful constellations on his cheeks; it reminded Rapunzel of all the star gazing she had done, mapping the stars…she brought a hand up to his face, wanting to trace them again. She communicated her intent by locking her fingers in his—they were so warm—and saw the blue glow of his teal hair stripe on her raised hand.

The next part would let her ears be graced by that sweet, ardent harmony that her heart suddenly seemed to crave, rushing with excitement at the thought.

“ _Our souls entwine_ ,” she echoed.

The cadence of her lovely voice stirred something deep inside of Varian, filling him with a familiar warmth and longing. His voice joined hers for the last note, the blue of his hair blazing fully to life as their voices harmonized, ringing together and filling the room with the rich tang of the magic sparking between them.

Closer. He needed to be _closer_. To draw her further into him. “ _Lover, hear my call,_ ” he sang to her again, the power of the melody reverberating strongly in his mind as he pulled their joined hands, coaxing her to step into him as he tilted his face into her addicting touch. “ _Bind your light to mine_.”

His voice, the gentle pull of her hand, and the return of that beautiful glow. It called to her as it did last night, reaching deep into that feeling that blossomed further with every note. " _Sing our love's duet,_ ” In the corner of her vision she could see the bright magic flowing down the length of her hair. The filtered daylight seemed to dim in the wake of their shared magic.

He sank into her hand with gentle ease. “ _…and let our souls entwine_." With barely a thought, she let herself be coaxed forward, their torsos brushing against each other as the melody reverberated around them.

A pleasant warmth surged where their bodies connected, making Varian shiver as a hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her into himself fully. She was as soft as she was warm, a feeling he recalled from the night before, when they’d laid together so closely. “ _Two will join as one_ ,” he sang, looking down at her with eyes that nearly seemed to glow with adoration for her.

There was no thought needed to recall the words now. They came to Rapunzel as did her humming. “ _Yearning shall resign_ ,” she returned. She could see sparks of magic in his eyes, circling his blue irises like sunlight across the water. She shivered a moment, and then willingly pressed herself against him as he pulled with the small of her back. They were both aglow now; her hair, his teal stripe and freckled constellations.

The golden shimmer of Rapunzel’s hair tumbling over her shoulders and back was certainly an enchanting sight…but even still, Varian found he liked looking at her sweet face even more, willingly losing himself in those vivid green eyes.

“ _Pledge your love to me_ ,” The hand at her back slowly slid up to cup the nape of her neck—he didn’t want her to look away for even a moment. “ _And let out souls entwine_.”

“ _Our souls entwine_ ,” she sang, longing for their shared cadence. He guided her head gently, running his fingers along her sensitive neckline, then through the roots of her hair along the back of her head. That area was always so tense with the weight of her lengthy hair, but even just the touch of his fingers seemed to unwind some of the knots. With it came a rush of sanguine magic; it was heady, and her eyes fluttered as she gazed deeply into the glittering pools of his eyes.

They were close enough to feel the steady rhythm of their hearts beating in tandem as the lingering notes of the song filled the air with an exquisite tension laced with magic and longing. With heavy-lidded eyes, Varian tilted his head, gently guiding her to do the same as he closed the remaining distance between them.

She let herself be coaxed forward, following his argent gaze. In moments, the near infinity between them was bridged with their lips. A lifetime alone, now together in this wonderful moment. The sweet press of lips was exciting and novel, sending a shrill pulse of excitement down her spine. For a moment her lips were still, but she gradually mimed the motion that almost came on instinct, forming and collapsing her mouth in small circles.

The feeling of her petal-soft lips giving under his own sent a thrill through Varian unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. He felt almost weightless, the soft, easy glide of their lips serving as his only anchor. This was right, this was _perfect_. He released a gentle hum into the kiss, the sheer intimacy of the act making his heart swell as he caught her bottom lip between his own, lightly teasing at it with gentle sucking motions.

His humming reverberated through Rapunzel, ringing through a newfound yearning in her. Slowly, carefully, she pushed up into his hair, letting the smooth locks flow over her fingers. _Closer_ her heart almost seemed to intone. With some reluctance, she let go of his hand, wanting to press him against her bosom more. What part of her wasn't touching him seemed almost chilled without his comforting contact.

When she released his hand in favor of pulling herself even closer, Varian found it nearly impossible to ignore the way the pliant curves of her body yielded against his own. He sucked in a quiet, shaky breath through his nose as her fingers ran through his hair, wrapping both arms around her.

Rapunzel vaguely picked up the distant sound of a squeaky growl. Probably a floorboard creaking under their shared weight as she moved her feet closer to his. Or maybe it was just her own vocalization—or better yet, his. Varian was gently sucking on her bottom lip, and the tug was _fantastic_ in a way she couldn't pin down. But right now that mattered less than being close, and she nudged herself further into him.

The edge of the bed bumped the backs of Varian’s knees as he took an involuntary step back, prompting him to take a heavy seat. He pulled her with him, allowing her to settle before increasing the intensity of his ministrations to her lips, excitement building alongside the swelling affection for her.

Rapunzel felt a small thrill run through her as he pulled down onto his lap, the box springs whining under their combined, sudden weight. And then he was pressing his lips a little harder, faster, before she could even spare another thought. Something was stirring in her, that warmth from earlier blossoming into something deeper. There was a muted feeling of embarrassment, but she swallowed it in favor of returning his affection with her lips, now wet, gliding easily over his.

Something else fell onto the bed. Barely a second later, there was a familiar wet _flick_ as Pascal made himself known.

“GAH!” Varian jerked back from the kiss to instinctively rub his ear on his shoulder, the shock of the cold wet intrusion effectively breaking the heated tension that had been so steadily building between them.

_Pascal_! Rapunzel had almost forgotten him entirely…but for the first time in a while, she was annoyed with him for breaking that wonderful kiss. But the warm bliss was still there, filling her head with few thoughts aside from the man in front of her. She cocked her head a tad, struggling to refrain from pouting at Varian. Absently, she petted Pascal, hoping to sway the lizard away from bothering them further.

Finally recovering from the cold, slimy sensation of being tongued by a lizard, Varian gave his head a small shake, ridding himself of the lingering discomfort. His eyes lifted to meet Rapunzel’s again, and he was surprised to see her pouting a little, his heart giving a small stutter at just how _adorable_ she looked. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing really—it was just sudden is all.” Rapunzel offered a mildly irritated glance to Pascal, who for his part seemed to look almost torn between anger and repentance. He was a good friend, really, and they had spent so much time as just the two of them over the years.

The brush of Varian’s hand pushing back some of her golden hair brought her attention back into focus. She was still on his lap, and that warm mood hadn't entirely left her. The concern on his face was so genuine, and it quickly sweetened her pout into a small, knowing smile. “I really liked that. Do you think we figured out the…um, _mechanism_ then?"

A light flush overtook Varian’s cheeks, his mind flashing to the sensation of her lips pressing to his, stirring a heat within him that might not be completely magical in origin. He swallowed hard as his body gave a little shiver, as if to shake off the urge to simply lean in and kiss her again.

He gave her a sheepish smile. “Yeah…um. I’d say the incantation isn’t just…‘ _words_.’” Though he really couldn’t complain about the result. Without even thinking he gave the girl in his lap a gentle squeeze.

“So the words matter then, not just the melody,” she said with a soft laugh. The glow from his hair was fading now. A shame really…but as her eyes wandered from his gaze, she caught a faint light dimming from under his shirt. In her… _eagerness_ she hadn't noticed until it had almost disappeared completely. “I think there might be another hint under your shirt…” she said plainly, pointing at the spot above his heart, barely an ember now.

The flush that had just begun to fade from Varian’s cheeks reignited into a full-on blaze as he stared at her with wide eyes, stupefied by how casually she had said such a suggestive thing. “U-under my… _what_?” he squeaked out, his voice cracking on the last word. Was she hinting that she wanted him to _undress_?

The pitch of his voice almost broke her haziness with how cute it was, but the hint under his shirt was fading fast, and she wasn't willing to let go of the thread she'd found. “No look—under your shirt. There's something glowing like your hair,” she insisted, poking a finger on the spot to illustrate her point. “It's almost gone now.” She raised an eyebrow at him, glancing between him and the spot on his shirt.

“But…wait, my hair doesn’t _glow_ ,” Varian protested, shifting under her slightly. But then she poked a finger against him, and he felt an odd stirring in his chest, as if warmth was rippling from the point of contact, reverberating through him and causing a hum to build in his throat, carrying the same melody they had sung only moments before.

It was his turn to hum, apparently. Neither the denial nor the melody was a helpful reaction…but as it rose from his throat, deep and low, Rapunzel felt it stir in her in kind. It was—she was trying to focus again, she'd just gotten somewhere, and she was being…

She watched the bob of his throat trace the notes as they came forth. Her finger was still extended over his heart, the hint she’d spied earlier glowing anew, pulsing in time with the melody. But that mattered less than…

“It's…it's back, I think,” she said, taking her other hand and gripping his shoulder for support.

Lulled into complacency by his own traitorous vocal chords, Varian could only nod, the hand still on her back pulling her close again. He figured she was talking about the song, or maybe the urges…he was certainly feeling the urge to kiss her again. His eyes traced the delicate outline of her lips and he slowly leaned down, hoping to find her receptive.

She could…she could do both, right? Rapunzel met his lips eagerly with a soft "Mmm," squashing the doubts that were rattling in the cage of her mind. The blonde pulled the hand over his heart downward to where his shirt was tucked into his pants, gently tugging at it until it was loose.

Hesitation struck her a moment. It felt like a daunting step to take. Everything that happened was…one thing, but contact with bare skin seemed like a different boundary. She gripped the soft lining, hovering over which direction to pull it in.

Perhaps neither was easier. With a hum, she made her resolution, and wound her fingers underneath the fabric, very softly kneading the flesh of the side of his waist. The skin was smooth, and she could feel a ripple of firm muscle underneath it.

There was a slight skip in Varian’s humming as a small gasp escaped into the kiss, the unexpected touch—no, _caress_ —sending warm shivers of excitement racing up and down his spine. He pressed into her eagerly, bending over her so her back was forced to arch slightly to accommodate him as he worked his lips against hers, reveling in the electrifying sensations.

An “Mmph—!” escaped Rapunzel as she felt her back being arched backwards in a way that almost felt unsteady. But he kept a firm grip on her hip with his other hand, and so she let herself fall back slightly. The movement was pushing her stomach further into him, a satisfying result for the urge to be closer. In a moment of self-consciousness, she realized that the arched position also pushed her bosom out a tad, but that feeling was quickly overcome as the fiercer press of his mouth sent a sharp rush of electricity through her chest. For as long as he held her, she was realizing, she wasn't willing to let go of this.

There had been something…and that something niggled at her in the back of consciousness. She wove her hand farther up his waist, guided by a strange impulse to explore further. Her thumb brushed against something hard and firm, almost stone-like, and glossy. She had a hazy recollection—this spot above his heart had been important. She tapped the rock, and this time felt the sting of something spark along her index finger and into the roots of her hair, sending a shining pulse through the strands.

It happened in an instant—an intense tugging sensation in Varian’s chest that heralded a sudden shift in perspective that left him reeling. Instead of the weight of Rapunzel’s soft form in his lap, he felt a solid body between his legs and against his front, his back arched and an odd heaviness tugging at his scalp. But the strangest thing of all was the sense of ‘ _wholeness’_ that clicked in his mind, as if he’d just achieved something he’d been striving his entire life to obtain.

The feeling was disrupted when the kiss—the one sensation that had remained constant—suddenly broke as the body before him slumped backwards, and he felt another strong pull in his chest before he came back to himself with a shuddering gasp, his body jerking and arching off of the bed before settling as his wits slowly returned to him. What…what had just _happened_?

Shaken from her own reverie by the surprising surge of magic, Rapunzel looked down to where Varian had collapsed back into the tangle of sheets and hair. She blinked, a little unsure of what happened, before realizing that his body must have had a stronger reaction to her touching the stone than what she’d felt.

“Varian are you…alright?” she asked, concern outweighing her surprise. “We can stop. Maybe we should—I don't know what that was, but I don't think it was normal. Maybe.” She was pinning his pelvis to the bed she realized—that probably wasn't comfortable. Pressing her hands to the mattress, she lifted slightly, holding herself above him as her hair fell on either side of them.

“Nn…” Varian squinted, the gold of Rapunzel’s hair acting as a curtain that made it much easier to focus on her face. “N-not sure.” He took a deep breath, flexing his fingers at his sides and wiggling his toes, making sure he had full control of his extremities. Once again, his brain failed to provide him with a decent scientific explanation for what he’d just experienced, but he had to agree with Rapunzel that whatever it was, it was NOT normal.

Rapunzel simply and slowly nodded at his sound. He was less collected than she was. A testament to how it had rattled him.

She felt a little awkward hovering over him while he was so disoriented—he probably needed fewer distractions rather than more at this particular moment. Lifting a hand, she let herself roll onto her side beside him, propping herself up on her elbow to look down at him. His face, which had been flushed before, now seemed to have paled back to a more normal pallor. Rather suddenly, too.

“It's okay…” she said in a voice she hoped sounded soothing rather than condescending. The blonde was mimicking the cadence she sometimes used with Mother, but less nervous. “Just breath for now.”

Her soothing tone helped calm Varian, and he followed her simple direction, the slow rise and fall of his chest as he took steadying breaths helping to ease the tumultuous thoughts and questions ricocheting inside his mind. But he wasn’t content with just the comfort of her voice, and he reached for her hand, wanting something to ground him further.

Rapunzel needed no further prompting, grabbing his hand and squeezing it reassuringly. It was in this moment she realized his hand was still encased in that softened leather she had noticed the night before.

Her earlier desire to be closer had come from somewhere unfamiliar, but now the press for contact was borne more out of concern. He was breathing more evenly now, but somehow feeling his hand through the glove didn't seem like enough. Whatever had happened, he needed a steady presence. It reminded her a little of her own anxiety spirals that Pascal had weathered with her.

“Varian, if it's alright with you, I'm going to take off one of your gloves,” she told him, adding a soft “I'm here,” when she saw him bite his lip hesitantly.

Varian felt a minor surge of anxiety at the thought of parting with his gloves. He always wore them—they were a comfort to him, something familiar amidst all of this strangeness. But…at this moment, being able to feel Rapunzel's warmth against his palm and fingertips without obstruction seemed like it would be an even greater comfort, so he gave a slight nod. “…okay,” he breathed.

His breathy response gave Rapunzel a small determination. She pinched a finger of the glove and slowly tugged it off his hand so as to not shock him. With his hand now exposed, she twisted her wrist to weave their digits together. She barely noted his callouses as she gently squeezed, and Varian seemed to relax a little, his breathing slowing just a smidge, less shallow now.

It was like a wave of calm washed over him when Rapunzel knit their fingers together, and for the first time Varian was able to feel just how soft her skin was against his hand. The drawn out sigh he gave served as a further release of tension, and his fingers curled between hers at her gentle squeeze. “Thank you…”

“You're welcome,” Rapunzel replied with a relieved smile.

As his nerves gradually settled, Varian became aware of the slow pulse of something at his chest. While it matched the slowed beating of his heart, it felt…less organic somehow, like there was something layered atop the vital functions he’d been born with.

Brow furrowed, his free hand shifted to feel the spot on his chest that had caused him to have such an unprecedented reaction. He sucked in a breath when he felt something round and hard there—a protrusion? Something Rapunzel had noticed even before he did and had curiously been prodding at.

“Wh-what is this?” he asked, his voice quivering slightly with both trepidation and intrigue, the pulses picking up in frequency as his heartbeat slowly accelerated again.

“I'm not sure,” Rapunzel replied, brow furrowing. “It kind of felt like a rock, but I'm pretty sure people don't come with those.”

“No they…they don’t.” And suddenly it dawned on Varian just _why_ Rapunzel had been so fixated on getting beneath his shirt. She’d wanted to see what the strange…well, he didn’t even know for sure if it was a rock or not, but she’d wanted to see whatever strange _thing_ it was that had either grown from or attached to his chest.

He wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed by this revelation or not, but pushed aside those slightly more hormone-driven thoughts in favor of figuring out _what was on his chest_.

“U-um…” He blushed, unconsciously giving her hand a tight squeeze as he tried to think of a non-creepy way to verbalize his thoughts. “I…think we—I mean _I_ —should uh…” He swallowed hard, looking at anything but the girl in front of him. “That is…I-think-I-should-take-off-my-shirt.” Because yes, of _course_ blurting out that last bit so fast it was practically a single word would make it less embarrassing.

Rapunzel giggled, finding Varian’s nervous rambling endearing. “If you're comfortable with that, then yes, I think I—I mean _you_ , should do that.” Oh, now _she_ was fumbling over her words. “I'm worried about hurting you again. Accidentally.”

Touched that she was concerned about hurting him, Varian gave her a bashful smile, grateful to focus on her sentiment as opposed to the impending removal of his shirt in front of a pretty girl. “It uh…you didn’t hurt me. I just…” He thought for a moment, trying to make sense of what he’d experienced. “I felt like I…wasn’t myself? But just for a second. I-it was like I was…”

His eyes widened with realization and he quickly propped himself on his elbow, his body angling towards hers. “Like I was inside of _you_.” It made no sense, but what else was he supposed to take away from that?

Now it was Rapunzel’s turn to blush. “Oh…really? I just got a bit of a shock—don't worry, it didn't really hurt!” He was staring at her, wide eyed—some of the glitter from earlier had dimmed, but they remained a beautiful bright blue. “But it felt like there was this energy that ran through me and into my hair. It didn't feel _normal_.”

“So you…you felt something too then…” Absently, Varian rested a hand over the strange object on his chest. What _was_ it? What was its purpose? How was it connected to all of this?

Well…there was only one way to find out.

Sitting up fully, he took a deep breath before regretfully releasing her hand, his fingertips lingering against her own before moving his hands to start unbuttoning his vest.

She almost wished he hadn't let go—the absence lingered on her palm a moment as they parted. But they did need to get to the bottom of this before…

She studied the movement of his fingers as he unbuttoned his vest. It fit him well, as did the teal-colored shirt underneath that came loose as he worked. For a moment she wondered if she should…

As Varian finished undoing the last button of his vest, she gently gripped the shoulders of the article, pausing a moment to get his assent.

Varian’s breath stuttered slightly when Rapunzel reached forward to help him undress, but when she looked at him with those large eyes, silently asking permission, he couldn’t bring himself to say no. He gave a small nod, before holding his breath as she peeled his vest off of him.

There was a part of him that was genuinely excited by the prospect of her undressing him, and he remained still for her, having no desire to shoo her hands away and instead shivering as her fingers brushed down his arms.

His body was so reactive to even her slightest touch, another shiver running through him. Rapunzel found it strange to have that kind of... _influence_ over another person. It had always just been her and Mother, and Mother was the one and only authority in her life.

She neatly folded the vest and laid it on the bed beside them and waited for him to finish with his shirt.

When she made no move to remove his shirt and instead politely waited for him to finish, Varian couldn’t deny that he was just a tad disappointed. But he quickly pushed that feeling aside, because the moment of truth was upon them.

Crossing his arms in front of him, he took hold of the hem of his shirt and slowly pulled it up and over his head, careful not to dislodge his goggles, which had somehow managed to stay in place through the night.

Rapunzel bit her lip without thinking as the hem of his shirt was slowly lifted up his chest. She'd never really…seen the bare chest of a man, and she realized with some embarrassment that she wasn't sure what to expect. None of her books had included this kind of information.

Tossing his shirt to the side without much care or thought of where it landed, Varian shook his bangs out of his eyes before craning his neck to look down at his chest.

There, planted right over his heart, was a glowing blue stone. And it was one he _recognized_ , having seen it illustrated in many of the murals and books he’d come across during his stay in the Dark Kingdom.

“The…the _moonstone_ ,” he breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles** — There's nothing quite like waking up with the stranger you spent last night singing with. 😏
> 
> **Blondehairstripe** — Looks like Rapunzel and Varian are learning more about the effects of the incantation...but there's still a lot for them to learn about the mysterious powers that brought them together! Stay tuned folks!


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Varian stared down in near disbelief at the stone embedded in the skin over his heart. How had the national treasure of the Dark Kingdom ended up attached to his chest? Did it have something to do with his missing memories?

Eyes wide, he slowly reached to touch it, gently placing a single finger on its smooth surface. It pulsed as though it were a living thing, and while it didn’t shock him, he felt an almost electrifying energy surge against his fingertip.

Magic.

Why did it have to be _magic_?

“It's really pretty,” was all Rapunzel could think to say. The small oval stone was glossy and glasslike, almost opal-like in its blue hue. Spidery veins of dark azure ran across its surface, just under the shiny veneer. The moonstone he had called it. That seemed fitting.

What was less pretty was how the skin around it had puckered to accommodate the stone, and how it had landed just shy of a vital component: his heart.

Varian’s fingers curled around the stone, his throat going dry. Pretty? What was pretty about the…the _thing_ that had been implanted into his chest? It was _magic_ , something that couldn’t be explained by logic or science, and worse yet, it seemed to have some form of _control_ over him.

A feeling of cold dread shivered along his spine and settled in his gut, and he was struck by the overwhelming urge to rip the stone free of his chest, to be _rid_ of it, to not allow it to continue to weave its influence over his mind.

His fingers dug harshly into the inflamed skin around the stone, and he gritted his teeth against the pain as he desperately tried to wrench the opal free. It sparked, seemingly in protest, but the fact that it seemed to be _aware_ of his efforts to dislodge it only fueled Varian’s frantic desire to remove it.

Rapunzel winced, biting on her lip hard as Varian jammed his fingers into the irritated flesh around the stone. Between his pulls, a small light show was erupting, sparks rattling in the cage formed by his fingers. He was breathing hard, sucking in shuddering breaths before doubling over with an agonized groan, refusing to give even as the moonstone seared his flesh in apparent protest, his nails breaking skin and staining his fingertips red.

“Stop it!” Rapunzel cried as crimson pooled at the stone's base. She could hear, and smell, the faint sizzle of the cuts being cauterized by the opal's power as soon as they were made. Without thinking, she leapt forward, balling up his hand in hers. “This isn't working, you're just hurting yourself!”

Varian’s eyes darted up to meet hers when she tugged his hand away from the burning stone, sweat beading on his brow as he bit his lip hard enough to break skin. “B-but…I can’t let it…” He let his head fall forward onto her shoulder, trembling as the moonstone slowly settled, its bright glow and burning intensity fading to leave only the throbbing sting of raggedly torn and burnt flesh behind.

“I know, I know…” she said soothingly as he leaned on her shoulder. Careful not to shift her shoulder too much, she reached an arm around him, pulling him in closer. With her free hand she brushed away some of the dark bangs damply clinging to his forehead.

Her soothing tone and gentle touch helped calm Varian, although it did nothing to alleviate the pain that was deep enough to send small shudders through him with each excruciating throb. He pressed further into her as she drew him closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Seeing him left ragged from such a small interference with the stone…it tugged on Rapunzel’s heart. She couldn't remove the stone from him, but she could heal the inflamed skin around it. If he would let her…

But she couldn't. Mother would never allow it. Her song was special, and her hair precious…and he had already expressed a disdain for magic.

Varian released a heavy breath, drained from the ordeal. She could see how it stung as he shivered at any movement of the angry red skin around that stone, and that was enough to make up her mind.

“I have something that can help with pain,” she said softly. “But you're going to have to trust me.”

As another shudder wracked his body, Varian’s pain-clouded mind instantly latched onto her offer to help him, to somehow lessen the pain.

It wasn’t even a question in his mind, really.

“O-okay…” he agreed, worn down and craving release from the hurt.

 _Good_. Rapunzel hummed an empty note, warming up her vocal cords as she used her free hand to wrap some of her hair over his shoulder, careful to not let any stray strands poke into the wound. Before he had a chance to worry further, she launched into a familiar melody: “ _Flower, gleam and glow…let your power shine_.” She could see the glow moving from the roots of her hair down the long length toward his shoulder. “ _Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…_ ”

The melody alone was enough to make Varian sag bonelessly in her embrace, and then the words, sweet and filled with a soft power, washed over him like a soothing rain, melting away his pain.

It was hard to tell how far the loop of hair she’d placed over him was from her scalp, but the gleam would reach it soon enough. “ _Change the fate's design…save what has been lost_.” As the words flowed forth, her hair shimmered, finally making contact with the area over the stone and—

Something shifted in Rapunzel. The sweet lilt of her voice became flat, almost void, and while the healing power continued to revitalize Varian, the change pulled him from the comfortable lull he’d settled into. “Rapunzel?” he asked, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled back to look at her.

Glowing. Her eyes were _glowing,_ the luminous golden light almost blinding in its intensity, dazzling his own eyes as if he were looking directly into the sun. But he didn’t dare to look away, the sight rooting him to the spot.

Rapunzel’s eyes fluttered as she felt that strange connecting electricity spark painlessly through her nerves. This time there was a moment of weightlessness, and then her vision blurred, sights and sounds bleeding through each other before being overtaken by a more vivid scene:

 _The verdant valley outside her tower. An entrance hidden through foliage. A forest of trees winding to a rocky path in an unfamiliar landscape, draped in the dusky hues of twilight. A lone tree—a decaying tree, full of black rot and barren of leaves_.

Her vision swims back into focus for a moment, and the remaining lyrics echo in her eardrums, flat and monotone, before her sight pulls her back under.

 _The sound of paper fluttering in an eerie, reedy wind as a scroll winds across her sight, revealing another valley. An imposing mountain, closer and closer and up_ —her throat closes around the start of another iteration of her song, vertiginous, as if she is staring down the height of her tower— _a hidden spring, the sun reflected as the moon across the water in broad daylight_.

The vision fades along with the golden shine of her eyes, the light first eclipsed by the vivid hue of her deep green irises, then fading from the whites of her eyes until there was no vibrance left.

Her heart pounded as if she had been running circles around her tower, the weight of her body coming back, feeling almost unfamiliar. She was only stopped from falling into the security of the mattress by a pair of arms around her, alerting her once more to Varian’s presence.

He had switched from leaning on her to holding her. He was saying something—her name, if she had to guess—though only the muffled sound of the words filtered into her mind. Her breaths were shallow now, slowly lengthening and deepening as she came back herself.

“Varian…” She was nearly breathless. “I—I don't know how, but during the song I started seeing things. _Places_. I've never…” _I've never left this tower._ She shook her head slowly, dislodging the hair from his shoulder.

His skin had lost its inflamed pallor around the stone. The bloody puckering was gone—and instead the flesh had wrapped itself smoothly around the glassy texture. But she could see little white spidery veins stretching out from just under the outermost layer of skin. They pulsed in time with what she imagined was his heart beat, the reverberations running from the opal down into the tendrils, waning as it disappeared under his skin.

The stone was here to stay. She had healed the pain, but now it was even more tightly bound to him.

“Seeing things?” Keeping one arm around her, Varian gently moved a hand to brush her hair from where it had fallen over one eye. “Like—like memories or…visions?” Based on the fact that her eyes had been glowing with an otherworldly light, he couldn’t rule out that it _could_ be some form of mystical revelation, regardless of his own misgivings about the so-called ‘visions’ traveling fortune tellers flaunted as one of their talents. Whatever _this_ was, it had to be the real deal.

Rapunzel mulled it over a moment. “Visions, I think. I'm sorry. It's just so confusing…it was all places and things I've never seen before.” His arm around her was nice, reassuring. Steady, as she felt herself sway a little. “There was the valley outside this tower, the entrance, and then a forest that led into a stone path. There was a dead tree and then a mountain…” It had all been so fast. “It would be easier if I could just show you.”

Wait.

“Show you…I can _show_ you!” Where had she left her art supplies? “I need to find my sketchbook. If I can draw it out, maybe some paint too, you can see it…” But she didn't make a move, instead drawing an even breath.

Varian’s brow creased as he tried to make sense of what she’d seen. Forests, rocks, dead trees, mountains…what did any of that mean? “Hey, take it easy. You can—you don’t have to show me right now.” As curious as he was about what she’d seen, he didn’t want to push her. Whatever she had done to heal him—or maybe it was the visions—had clearly weakened her to some extent.

She shook her head. “No, I need to do it before the pictures fade from my mind. It's important—I can sense it.” Some of the finer details were already escaping her. She forced herself to sit up straight, locking her muscles into a more upright position. Her sketchbook and paints should be by the fireplace in the living area.

“I think I left my art things on the mantle downstairs. I can go get them…”

Varian could understand the need to capture a fresh idea on paper—he was the same way when it came to formulas and blueprints. Still, he really wondered if she should be so quick to rush off after an episode like that—her rigid stance wasn’t fooling him into thinking she was fully recovered. “Rapunzel, I get it, but…I don’t think you should move so soon. You feel sort of…unsteady.”

“No no, it's fine!” she insisted, ducking out from under his arm as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Steady now. With a small push, she stood with her feet planted firmly against the floor.

...for about a second or two, before she felt her balance slipping, head still a bit woozy from the visions that had forcefully pushed themselves into her mind.

“Rapunzel!” Varian sprang to his feet, catching her about the waist as she lurched to one side. He pulled her into him, using his body to support her as he readjusted to wrap his other arm around her shoulders. “Are you okay?” he asked anxiously, his eyes flicking across her face. She was pale, her skin having lost its rosy tint beneath the fair freckles flecking her nose and cheeks.

What was this magic _doing_ to them?

"I'm fine, just…kind of wobbly," she said, hoping to project a little more certainty than her swaying stance would suggest, before realizing he was wrapped around her again. "Um, thank you."

It was odd. Her magic had never drained her quite like this. At most, it might leave her a little dazed if she had to sing several repetitions of the melody. But she'd also never met anyone who possessed anything of a…similar calibre to her own magic.

“I don’t think you should be walking,” Varian told her, a hint of worry entering his tone. “At least, not for a little bit. You’re…really pale.” He brought a hand up to brush against her cheek, his expression softening.

As he grazed her cheek with another touch, Rapunzel’s eyes followed the line of his bare arm, reminded that he was in fact, still topless, and she was pressed right up against him. She could feel the ripple of muscle underneath his lean frame as he turned them back around to the bed, coaxing her to lie down again.

Oh no, they weren't doing _that_ again, as nice as it might have been. She needed to capture the images before they faded! "I can walk, I just need a second…" she insisted, doing her best to squirm from his grasp. "…without any interruptions."

Her weak attempts to escape were as amusing to Varian as they were exasperating. She was a stubborn thing, wasn’t she?

“No, you need to _rest_ ,” Varian told her firmly, and to emphasize his point, he took hold of her shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed, pinning her there with only as much force as was necessary to keep her from rising. “Got it?”

His grip was firm, but not unbearably so. It was similar to when Mother corrected her posture, or admonished Rapunzel for her spotty cleaning. Except with Varian there was a certain...softness. More _concern_ than _irritation_ with her form _._

It was even harder not to notice the genuine look in his eyes...but Varian was still a _stranger_. And here he was, trying to tell her what was best for her, as if she couldn’t care for herself. She only had agency within these walls, as much as she tried to avoid thinking about it; giving up even a moment of it over _walking_ was just demeaning.

"I can get downstairs just fine," she insisted, fixing him with a stubborn look. But when he simply returned her gaze in kind, unfaltering, she gave a small huff. He wasn’t going to budge until she agreed, was he? "…fine. They're on the mantle. But you have to be _careful_ with them." _They're hard for Mother to replace_.

Varian’s hold relaxed immediately, pleased that she was listening to reason. “All right, I’ll try to be quick.” Smiling, he reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze, craving just a little bit of non-coercive contact before he went. Then he reluctantly straightened and turned to go. She had said she wanted a sketchbook and paints, right?

Oh, that hand squeeze was almost enough to make Rapunzel rethink her rebellious course. _Almost_.

Taking one slow, quiet breath so as not to alert him, she slid to the edge of the bed, waiting for him to move just a few more steps…and then she was _up_ , launching herself with enough force to propel her into a loping step, and then another, and with one more she would hopefully race past him. Maybe she'd stick her tongue out at him after she passed him—but then the world swung back and forth and her footing buckled.

The sound of squeaking bedsprings and pattering footsteps alerted Varian to the fact that Rapunzel actually _wasn’t_ as reasonable as he’d given her credit for, and he spun on his heel. “Rapunzel, stop—oof!“ He turned just in time for her to collide into his chest, mid-fall apparently, sending him stumbling back a step as his arms automatically wrapped around her.

 _Again_? was her last thought before landing solidly against his bare chest. It was flat and firm, and her earlier brush up with the muscles of his arms underestimated the hidden strength beneath his wiry frame. And she had to admit…the support offered by the arms effectively pinning her against him made her feel a lot more sturdy than she did on her own two feet.

She could feel a blush blooming across her cheeks, despite her apparent outward paleness, and she let her forehead fall against him in momentary defeat (and maybe to hide her face, just a bit). The embrace was warm, and comfortable at least.

It took a few seconds to register, but Varian’s cheeks flared as soon as he realized that he had a girl pressing her face into his naked chest, and that he was _holding her there_. But he couldn’t just… _let go_ , she might fall over. “A-are you okay?” he managed to articulate, his throat tight as he loosened his hold just enough to allow her to pull back if she needed to.

“Mmm…” she muttered, feeling the last dredges of reluctance leaving her. “Maybe not.” She sighed across the breadth of his torso before gently falling back into his outstretched arms with a pout. “Alright, you win. For now.”

Varian shivered as her warm breath ghosted over his bare skin, stirring gooseflesh where it touched. As she settled into the cradle of his arms, he was given a moment to consider her. Was it wrong that he found her dejected, slightly pouty face cute?

An idea formed, and he decided that if she could try to pull a fast one on him, then turnabout was fair play.

“No no, you _obviously_ feel strongly about getting the paints yourself. So…” Releasing one arm from around her, he ducked down and hooked it beneath her knees, scooping her petite frame off the floor as she gave a small, stifled ‘oh!’ He grinned down at her as he cradled her to his chest, very much enjoying the expression on her face. “I’ll just have to escort you, milady.”

If Rapunzel’s blush had been subtle before, it was certainly blossoming quite well across her face now. She certainly hadn't expected to be swept off her feet. Worse yet, when she tried to fix him with her best pouty glare, he had the nerve to _grin_ at her.

She let out a beleaguered sigh before finally relenting, letting her weight fall against him for some support. “I...I guess so…” Her heart was pounding now—whether from the excitement of the moment, or from the bare closeness, she couldn't tell.

Varian merely chuckled, adjusting his grip on her before turning towards the door. Honestly, he was feeling rather pleased with himself—he’d just swept a girl off her feet and made her blush, something he’d _always_ wanted to do. Flynn Rider _himself_ couldn’t have pulled this off any more smoothly.

…okay, maybe that was a bit of a stretch, but he was going to let himself have this.

Mindful not to trip over any of the long golden locks piled on the floor, Varian carried her from the room, nudging the bundle of hair out onto the landing before kicking the door shut behind him. He thought he might have heard a squeak, but assumed the door hinges must be rusty. Carefully, he made his way down the stairs, taking his time to avoid slipping. That would put a bit of a damper on his gallant escort efforts.

The walk down the staircase was smoother than Rapunzel expected—she had been a bit worried the force of their combined weight might cause the wood to splinter.

Her eyes lifted from assessing the stairs, and her pout tightened as she was confronted with that uppity grin of his. Well, he certainly seemed proud of himself, didn’t he? She squirmed a little in his arms, disgruntled, before settling for wrapping an arm around his shoulder and neck.

She looked to the fireplace as they reached the bottom of the stairs and perked up when she spied her art supplies strewn about the mantle piece. “Oh, there they are!” she said, using her free hand to point. They were just where she had left them, under the freshly painted lantern mural.

Once he was clear of the stairs, Varian finally took a moment to look around the interior of the sunlit tower for the first time. It was actually pretty cozy, almost like a quaint cottage in the sky. “So you’re an artist?” he asked as he took note of the paintings that covered almost every square inch of the walls. Some looked like they were the doodles of a small child, while others were stylized masterpieces that could probably be displayed in some pretty esteemed galleries.

“You could say that! It seems like a shame to leave all of these walls blank when there's so much room to express myself…” she replied as they neared her newest mural, letting her eyes trail to some of her other works. Capturing the images she saw in her mind, or just outside her tower, helped make her home feel less…cramped.

Distracting herself from her thoughts, she quickly grabbed her sketchbook, some charcoal and paints, and bundled them in her lap.

She looked up at him again as his eyes wandered across her murals. His face was alight with genuine curiosity, mouth quivering as an unspoken question formed on his lips, and she remembered the feel of his jaw, soft with shapely bone just underneath. Then his gaze landed on one of her, well, _older_ murals, and before he could voice his thoughts she leaned up, careful not to spill the contents in her lap, and gave him a quick, chaste kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for carrying me.”

The kiss caught Varian completely off guard, and without the thrall of shared magic to guide him he was left to his own devices on how to react. Which translated to a stiffened spine, heavy blushing and some light stuttering, his words jumbling and getting caught between _my pleasure_ and _you’re welcome_ and coming out as a mumbled, “Y-your pleasure.”

Rapunzel giggled at that. She hadn't intended to fluster him, but his reaction was endearing. Without the magic lulling him, Varian seemed just as excitable as she was. They might both be inexperienced.

"How about…" she began, eyeing her quilted armchair behind him. "…we stay down here? I don't want to wait any longer than I have to."

“O-okay,” Varian agreed, gulping as her soft bosom pressed against his chest as she encircled his neck with her arms. He hardly even noticed that one of her paintbrushes was digging into his stomach.

He glanced around, pivoting slightly until he saw the armchair behind him. Turning fully, he leaned down, intending to set her on the cushion. He was sure she’d be all right there.

The press of their chests together was… _nice_. Without his shirt in the way, Rapunzel could feel his warmth unhindered as the rapid pace of his heart drummed against her.

"Sit with me?" she asked, tightening her hold on him to keep from dropping into the chair alone.

Varian halted his attempt to set her down, Rapunzel’s hair cascading onto the seat of the chair in her stead as he dipped under the gravity, only just managing to pull himself upright again. “Really?” he asked, pleasant surprise coloring his tone as his pulse quickened.

An image of her straddling him and running her fingers through his hair popped into his head before he could stop it, and he had to bite his lip to dispel it. _Obviously_ she was asking for something a little bit more chaste.

“Really,” she smiled. She should probably shuffle her hair out of the way, to avoid entanglement, but she found that she didn't want to let go of him quite yet.

That was all the permission Varian needed, and he returned her smile before carefully lowering himself to sit in the chair, not even minding the hair that already occupied the seat. He actually sort of liked the way the soft strands felt as they wisped against his back and side.

As Varian settled her sideways in his lap, one arm still looped around her back, Rapunzel had the sense that she should probably be more concerned. She barely knew Varian, and even without the lull of magic she was slowly finding herself enraptured with him. All these new feelings were just so... _enticing_.

Within these walls at least, she knew better than to not chase a good feeling, magic or not.

But she couldn't let herself be distracted—not yet. With a flourish, she brought out a fresh page of her sketchbook, and biting the corner of her lip, began contouring the shapes of the…what had been the first thing again? The valley, the entrance, and the forest and the stone path. She could skip the area around her tower.

The forest had so many things she hadn't recognized. But she supposed that mattered less than the strange stone path leading to the tree. She was pretty sure forests were common; glowing blue stonework probably wasn't. Start with the sketch, and paint it later.

Varian watched as she sketched, her head bent over the paper, long tendrils of hair spilling to frame her face. She didn’t even bat an eye when he reached to brush them out of her way, her gaze fixed on her work, and Varian was surprised at the slight pang of dejection he felt when she didn’t even spare him a glance. That was strange, was he usually so sensitive about being ignored?

…okay fine, maybe he did like attention. But in this case he knew she had a perfectly good reason for being so absorbed, just like he was when he was doing alchemy.

With a sigh, he leaned back in the chair to give her space to work, disengaging his upper torso from hers, though he instantly felt bereft for it. But she didn’t need any distractions.

It didn't take long to sketch down most of the rock’s details—Rapunzel was always more of an impressionist. She almost reached for her paints, but then realized it might be more timely to do all the sketches before moving into colors.

Without looking up from her sketchbook, she ripped the sketch from its bindings along the top and held it out to Varian, letting her dominant hand go back to sketching the next vision—the tree.

Varian took the paper from her with an amused snort, before raising it up to look at it. The rocks resembled some of the paths he’d seen in the Dark Kingdom, which sort of added up, given the whole…moonstone thing.

Glancing to her current work, he watched as the outline of a tree took shape under Rapunzel's hand. She really was a talented artist if she was able to sketch something so detailed from memory alone.

Bracing his elbow on the armrest, he idly plucked at some of the golden strands draped across the upholstery of the chair, waiting for her to finish her next piece.

The tree had been the most vivid part of that section, but in Rapunzel’s recollection, everything around the tree was out of focus. If only she could get another look…

A tiny, anxious idea hit her—the _stone_. Biting her lip, she looked back at the opal, neatly nestled over Varian’s heart. She stared at it a moment, watching it shimmer under her gaze.

She was loath to do that again, given how winded her earlier encounter had left her (and would it hurt him?), but…

With some reluctance, she grabbed a small tuft of hair, raising it to the stone.

Her progress was blocked when a hand came between her and her goal, cupped protectively around the moonstone. “Rapunzel, what are you _doing_?” Varian asked in disbelief. _Surely_ she remembered what had happened when her hair had touched the moonstone before…she wouldn't actually try to make that happen again, right?

His tone startled her, shaking her out of her thoughts. She had been so absorbed in her task that she hadn't even thought to explain herself.

“I'm having trouble remembering some of the important details,” she offered nervously. “I…I was hoping to maybe get another glimpse.” He’d probably need some justification… “Trust me, I haven't forgotten what happened earlier. But with you here, holding me, I thought it might not be so bad.”

Varian’s rigid stance softened at her words, flattered that she trusted him. “I…guess it didn’t hurt you before…” he reasoned slowly. “But…are you even fully recovered?” He didn’t want it to become too much for her, and he gave her a gentle squeeze with the arm that was still wrapped around her.

She thought about it for a moment. While it hadn't exactly been painful, it certainly hadn’t been comfortable either. Though she couldn't really see it, she _felt_ less pale, if the blood running under her cheeks was any indication.

“I think I'm alright. I'm still a bit tired, but this time I know what's coming,” she explained. With his arm supporting her, and a firm nod: “I think I can handle it.”

Varian took a deep breath through his nose. “All right then.” Slowly, he removed his hand from its protective position over the moonstone, allowing its azure glow to pulse in the open air once more. Then he encircled her in his arms, loosely clasping his hands at her waist. “Ready when you are.”

It occurred to him that she’d been singing—and _glowing_ —the last time her hair had come into contact with the stone. But he’d let her try it this way first—he _was_ just a touch curious as to whether it would have the same reaction. And besides that…the less magical elements they involved, the better.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. Would it be too much for her this time?

With the barrier provided by his hand gone, Rapunzel was free to make contact with the stone. But…she felt increasingly reluctant to do so, her hand wavering the closer she brought her hair to the opal. Would it hurt her? Would it hurt Varian? Worry swelled in her gut.

But if they were going to make sense of the circumstances they had been drawn into, she needed to _see_ it. Furrowing her brow, she found her resolve and brushed the golden strands over the glowing stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles —** You can thank Blondehairstripe for the godly smooth syntax in this chapter. They really owned the editing on this.
> 
>  **Blondehairstripe —** We know how much the fandom likes some Varian whump, and we're happy to deliver—along with a nice helping of comfort from Rapunzel~


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

When Rapunzel’s hair touched the stone on his chest again, Varian felt something akin to a spark at the point of contact. He watched with a mix of trepidation and awe as a shaft of gleaming light surged along the golden strands connecting them, reaching her roots and filtering the light into her eyes, which once again glowed brightly. But…was it just him, or was the shine _softer_ this time?

A flash of blue fills Rapunzel’s vision and then— _the stone path, the barren tree_ —this time, the focus of the vision is wider, clearer— _a decrepit temple, overrun with the massive roots of the tree. Hallway after hallway until—a sunlit chamber filled with brackish water and snaking vines. A wall adorned with ancient letters and the moon, the rocks, a flower—the path to the mountaintop is long and treacherous, but the shimmering waters at the summit are safe._

Almost all at once, her vision came back, the sight of the mountain spring shrinking in the center of her sight until it vanished. Surprisingly, there was no hazy, swimming feeling this time, and she managed to remain upright, her body only sagging marginally against Varian. It wasn’t a few seconds later that the light faded from her eyes, revealing the vivid green of her irises once more.

Varian watched her carefully as she regained her bearings, not wanting to overwhelm her.

It took a moment before Rapunzel realized she had been holding her breath. She swallowed as much air as she could, filling her lungs and banishing the airy feeling in her head. "I'm…I'm _okay_ ," she finally said, offering him a small smile.

At her soft reassurance, Varian couldn’t contain his relieved smile. “Oh _good,_ ” he breathed, weaving his arms around her and tucking her close under his chin.

Rapunzel’s heart fluttered against her rib cage, a wave of lightheadedness washing over her anew, this time driven by the warm assurance of having him wrapped around her.

Amidst the comfort, an unfortunate thought came unbidden; sitting in his lap, on the armchair—she recognized it for something. Mother used to do it for her, though it had been many years since she had been…coddled like this, as Mother had put it. The memory nearly threatened to shake her out of the moment, her heart pumping a tense beat, but she determinedly pushed it back down. This was _different_ , better even.

Nibbling at her lip tentatively, she hugged him back, wanting to know _why_ it felt so different. Soft yet sturdy… _protective_ as her tiny frame nestled comfortably within his arms. But there was also an underlying ease that was novel to her. Had Mother’s hugs always been so...lacking?

Varian’s embrace came freely, for as long as she needed it. It felt like he _wanted_ her in his arms.

When she turned her body to press into him, Varian felt his heart skip as a feeling of swelling endearment settled over him. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head, closing his eyes and simply enjoying having this soft, wonderful girl in his arms. While it seemed crazy to be so close to someone he’d just met, he found himself not caring about that particular detail.

It felt much too soon when she pulled away to return to her sketchbook, and Varian made a soft noise of disgruntlement. He tugged at her waist, turning her so her back was to his chest, wanting to maintain as much contact as possible while still giving her room to do what she needed to.

She gave a breathy ‘oh’—but didn't argue. It was pleasant, to know they seemed to share that want, that need to stay close as much as possible. But despite everything, a small yet stubborn mote of fear clung to the depths of her gut. It almost sounded like Mother, when she tried to focus on it.

She pushed it down once more, clearing the feeling from her mind.

Right. The tree. There was also a temple now, more shapes and shading to work out.

The broken stonework was mostly straight lines. The hallways it led into probably didn't matter, but that sunken chamber certainly did. And those markings…

Varian watched as more and more details were added to her sketch, forming what looked to be ruins connected to an enormous dead tree. Had he seen something like that in a history book before? Giving a soft hum, he leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder, mulling over his knowledge of historically notable trees.

She smiled a little, barely noticing the weight as she continued to sink into her recollection.

The ruins were easy, but the pool would require a softer touch. Rapunzel realized the writing on the wall wasn't a language she recognized. She left the lettering vague, focusing on the murals around them, and then it was on to the path to the mountain. Large swathes of it were missing…but she knew the mountain itself had a distinct shape on the horizon; at the right angle, the hills made an almost perfect curvature, as if it had been carved in the shape of the moon. The summit they sought was at the farthest reaching peak.

"…and done! The sketching that is." Several sketched pages had fallen around them onto the arms of the chair. Some needed paints for proper illustration, but others were fine as is. This was a good start. Hopefully Varian would recognize some of these places; it was all a mystery to her.

“Oh? Planning to turn them into full blown art pieces?” Varian asked, although he made no move to release her, completely content with her position in his lap. After all, there was no rush now that she’d translated her visions to paper, right?

"Well some of them really need some color to show—"

A low gurgling growl interrupted Rapunzel’s explanation, and Varian blushed. Apparently his stomach disagreed with him about not needing to rush. Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t recall the last time he’d eaten anything.

"Oh!" Her companion's growling stomach reminded Rapunzel she was feeling increasingly peckish herself. But what was the…procedure here? With Mother, although she rarely visited in the morning, Rapunzel would whip up breakfast in her little kitchenette.

Varian was a guest right? So then if she was hosting…

"When was the last time you ate?"

“I…actually don’t know,” Varian admitted, cheeks still warm. He cringed as his stomach gave another gurgle, his arms tightening around her in some vain hope of stifling the sound, before realizing that was just ensuring she could feel the low rumble in addition to hearing it.

"Well you're— _we're_ hungry now, so how does breakfast sound? I think I have some eggs I can whip together." She collected the sketches strewn across the chair, tapping them on her knee to straighten them.

An even louder growl answered her before Varian could, and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “That…that sounds really nice, actually,” he said, giving her a small smile. “Do you need any help?”

Rapunzel couldn't remember the last time Mother had helped her with cooking. It was sweet, and it warmed her to think he cared enough to offer, but…looking over the sketches in her hands, she realized she had little hope in identifying the meaning behind them.

She twisted around to pass him the pile she had gathered. "You can help by figuring out why these places might be important." Raising her other hand, she briefly stroked the side of his head. "I don't really know much about what's outside of this valley."

Sighing, Varian turned his face to nuzzle into the softness of her hand—before giving a muted yelp as he was nearly flipped from the chair, her hair whisking out from under him as she grabbed the length of it and bounded from his lap.

Grabbing onto the armrest with one hand, he quickly righted himself. It was a miracle he hadn’t dropped any of the sketches…she sure was energetic, wasn’t she?

Finding his voice again, he finally responded to her request. “Y-yeah sure, I can do that.” Although…the last thing she’d said nagged at him, and his brow furrowed. She kept saying things that implied she didn’t get out of the tower much, and so flippantly too…it was actually pretty worrying.

Maybe it was a topic he could broach over breakfast, because right now, he had sketches to interpret.

Bouncing on the balls of her toes, Rapunzel shuffled through her cupboard in search of ingredients. There should be enough eggs for the two of them. "Oh!" she said, spying the flour in the back. "I also have leftover flour for some pancakes!"

 _Pancakes_. Varian could feel himself beginning to salivate. “That sounds great!” he replied enthusiastically, the idea of warm fluffy cakes and thick sweet syrup overcoming any sense of propriety. Belatedly, he realized he probably should have politely refused but…well, apparently his stomach was doing the talking.

Rapunzel found herself smiling at his delight; his enthusiasm was almost infectious. Mother never really exuded that kind of energy.

With a twirl she set about breaking and beating the eggs, letting her favorite pan heat over the stove after lighting the element. Her hair bounced behind her, nearly falling over her shoulder into their food before she shook it away.

The eggs would need tending so they didn't stick to the cast iron—the one downside of cooking eggs by themselves. She hurriedly whipped up some batter for the pancakes before pouring the eggs into the pan. With that started, she got a second smaller pan going for the cakes. She’d done this enough times that she felt confident multitasking both. It also gave her a few moments to think.

The last half a day had been quite the whirlwind. So many new experiences rolled into one hazy night, and an even stranger, yet more lucid morning. A faint blush bloomed across her face as she recalled some of the highlights.

Shaking herself back into focus, she thought about the strangeness of the magic Varian had inadvertently brought with him. She had always been alone in her magic. Mother's was…weaker, and more subtle. So much so that Rapunzel had rarely seen it, and it sometimes almost seemed like a figment.

Mother was more knowledgeable than her on it, though she had always been cryptic on its origins. She had never mentioned any kind of magical counterpart. Rapunzel had always been under the impression that her hair was unique. And while Varian didn't have hair like hers, it had glowed last night, and there was a certain _rightness_ between them, in their shared connection.

She was no stranger to loneliness—even Pascal couldn't always help—but this kind of wholeness was different. Even Mother didn't have that kind of effect on her. This ran deeper, and it didn't seem entirely magical in origin. He cared, or at least seemed to, despite how Mother had always warned her about the cruel intentions of men.

But what did it mean? And that interaction with the stone…why was she being shown these visions? And more importantly, what was this moonstone that had lodged itself in his chest? Her hair had wrapped them up snuggly while they were sleeping. She remembered some of it running under his shirt. Why would her hair be so interested in his magic? Would Mother know?

Oh.

 _Mother_.

Rapunzel was making breakfast for a handsome—a _stranger_. No one was supposed to know she was here. Unexpected guests were out of the question. It wasn't safe. He was going to have to leave—

"Ow!" Her hand had drifted too far down the handle on the pan. Sloppy. What would Mother say? There was a faint glow in her periphery as the burnt skin dulled to a gentle throb, before slipping away entirely.

Varian’s head jerked up from his studies when he heard Rapunzel give a small pained cry. “Are you okay?” he called, bracing a knee on the chair’s cushion so he could swivel and peer over the back. With all the strange happenings, he didn’t want to take the chance that there had been some sort of delayed effect from the magic.

"I'm fine!” she called back without turning around. “I just burned my finger a bit! It was honestly pretty silly of me."

That fear from earlier was gnawing at her again. _Rapunzel darling, they'll only want you for your hair._ Varian only seemed interested in her hair because of how it affected her…but he had also mentioned that he might be interested in testing its properties. _Might be_. Harmlessly so. _Alchemy_ was the word he had used.

Come to think of it, she still didn’t know what that was. Humming tunelessly, she decided that she’d have to ask him about it over breakfast.

Speaking of which, it was time to flip the pancakes again.

Pacified that her injury wasn’t magical in nature, Varian returned to pouring over her sketches, having procured a blank piece of paper and some charcoal to take notes. The tree and ruins in particular reminded him of an illustration he’d come across while researching Lord Demanitus, although Rapunzel’s sketches portrayed them as much more decrepit than what he remembered seeing. If only he had his research notes…

The eggs were nearly cooked now. "I'm almost done,” Rapunzel called over. “Have you figured anything out yet?"

“I think I might have a few ideas about the tree, but I’d need my research notes to figure out how it connects to all of this,” he replied. “Though I think I might have to do some cartography to see if I can find this mountain…do you have any maps I could look at?”

Maps? She had never really needed them. Not when she was safe in her tower.

She _had_ mapped the stars from her window. Something she was rather proud of actually. But that wouldn't help them. Her visions had all been in daylight, as far as she could tell.

"Nope! Never really needed them." The eggs were done. She peeled them out of the pan, piling them into scrambled heaps on her two favorite plates. The pancakes would follow shortly.

This was shaping up to be a lovely breakfast. Mother had stopped visiting in the mornings for the most part, so it would be nice to share it with someone other than Pascal, at least while it lasted.

Oh…Pascal! Where had he run off to? He hadn't come with them downstairs, had he? She hadn't been paying much attention to anything other than…well, _Varian_ during that little trip.

“Never really needed…” Varian trailed off. There it was again. That feeling that something wasn’t right. There were so many small things she’d said that on their own were just a little strange, but put together? He wasn’t sure he liked the picture it was painting.

“Rapunzel…” He set the sketches to the side and rose from the chair, moving to where she was busily plating the food. “When was the last time you were outside?”

That hadn’t been the question she was expecting, but she supposed that had been a bit naive. A stranger wouldn't understand their ways. Understand _why_.

"Oh, I get out on my balcony quite a bit,” she replied airily. “It's where I keep my little garden."

Varian sucked in a sharp breath, his suspicions confirmed. _She’d never left this tower_.

With the food plated, she took one in each hand and whirled around to leave—and bumped solidly into Varian.

“That’s—woah!” She turned into him so suddenly he barely had time to grab her hips to steady her. Fortunately she didn’t drop either of the plates she was carrying—which would have been a tragedy, because the food she’d prepared smelled _delicious_.

" _Someone's_ eager for breakfast," she teased as she rebalanced the plates in her hand. "So what was that alchemy thing you mentioned before? You said it was some kind of science."

It was through sheer willpower alone that Varian managed to suppress the urge to launch into a detailed and enthusiastic explanation of his chosen field of study. He couldn’t lose focus—there was something going on here and he needed to find out what.

He curled his fingers into the loose material of her nightgown—at least he assumed the pretty blue dress was what she wore to bed—and looked down at her, his brows creased with concern. “Rapunzel…” he started again.

It was surprising how a firm grip and a concerned look were almost enough to make her give in. Almost. But she wasn't about to let him ruin the mood, and she could be stubborn too, when she put her mind to it.

She shifted both plates onto one arm, settling the second plate into the crook of her elbow. With her hand freed, she cupped his face in her palm, gently rubbing small circles across his cheek with her thumb.

She fixed him her best wide-eyed, pleading face. “I know you probably have a lot of questions…but trust me when I say that everything is for the best. I may not get out much, but I have everything I need here, and it's safe. Breakfast is going to get cold if we keep dawdling.”

Her sweet touch and adorable pleading face were enough to make Varian’s heart start pumping just a bit faster, his grip on her hips loosening. He was almost inclined to simply accept what she was saying.

 _Almost_.

The only point she made that he could unquestionably agree with was that the food would go cold, so he would concede for the moment. His growling stomach demanded as much. But he was going to get some _real_ answers just as soon as they were finished eating.

Rapunzel gave a soft laugh as his stomach growled again.

He melted easily into her touch, eyes half-lidded as she stroked his cheek. It wouldn't be enough to erase the questions from his mind, she was sure. But they could enjoy this peace a little longer—and food was a good distraction.

“Let's settle that rumbling tummy, hm? I'm hungry too.” She let her fingers trail up into his silky hair before letting go and squirming out of his grip. She managed to keep the plates balanced as she ducked out from under his arm. Her hair draped along the floor behind her, gently swaying as shesashayed past him.

Impressed that she was able to balance those plates while maneuvering around him, Varian turned, a half-smile on his face as he watched her head for the nearby table.

Then she paused, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Could you grab the sketches for me?” she asked, smiling sweetly.

Oh, Varian couldn’t say no to that face. Why did she have to be so _cute_? He quickly moved to the chair and scooped up the sketches, bringing them to the table as she set the plates down.

“Thank you~” she chirped, trailing her fingers up his arm to briefly graze along his jawline before taking the small stack from him. She planted the papers in the center of the table with a confident _smack_.

Her touch brought a smitten flush to Varian’s cheeks, and he was quick to pull out one of the chairs for her. Taking the provided seat, she squeezed his hand just before he let go. “So polite!”

He grinned shyly, scooting her chair in for her before rounding the table to take his own seat. By this point his stomach was cramping with hunger, and he eagerly tucked into the plate of food in front of him. It was _delicious_ , and he made an appreciative noise, his gaze flicking up to hers briefly as he swallowed down his first mouthful. “This is _great_ , Rapunzel,” he praised her before occupying his mouth with another forkful of breakfast.

Unlike Mother, Varian was easy to please, and he made it known between scarfing mouthfuls of food. She was suddenly glad she had slipped a spoonful of honey into the pancakes. Her kitchen was rarely stocked with it—Mother insisted that it was expensive—but it was certainly worth every drop whenever she had the chance to include it in a dish.

“I'm glad you like it. There's also honey in the pancakes,” she said enthusiastically. Her own breakfast was disappearing much more slowly. She paced herself, savoring his reactions between mouthfuls.

“Oh, that’s such a good idea!” Varian said approvingly. “I think I might have to steal your recipe, because these are _delicious_.” He emphasized his point by popping another forkful into his mouth.

She gave an easy smile, letting him continue eating uninterrupted. At this rate he would be done soon, and she wasn't sure the sketches would hold his questions back for long. She could only get so far with caressing him, but she was determined to avoid the hard questions for as long as possible.

He was going to ask her to leave. The answer to the mystery they faced was in the places depicted in her sketches, and she doubted he would be willing to investigate without her. And she had to admit, she didn't want to part from him. Even just the thought made her heart ache.

But he couldn't stay here forever. Mother would never approve, and she didn't want him to face her anger. He didn't deserve that when he had been so kind.

Distantly, she could hear her foot tapping a rhythm against the stonework floor.

Wait.

That melody…she looked over to her floating light mural. If her calendar was correct, the lights would be lighting up the night sky later that night. And Mother wouldn't be back for a few days.

Taking another small mouthful, she began quietly humming that familiar tune.

Varian had just finished the last morsel on his plate when her gentle humming filtered into his ears. His imminent plans to ask her at least a dozen questions about her circumstances began to feel faraway and much less important, instead replaced with the urge to be close to her. And the table was in the way.

He had half a mind to climb over the flat surface to get to her, but reigned in the urge—he didn’t want to break the plates or make a mess. So instead he slid from his chair and rounded the table to scoop her up, pulling her tight to his chest—and halfway out of her chair.

A small squeak of surprise cut through the humming as she was dragged into him. Then she relaxed, allowing herself to slide fully from the chair as her vocal cords returned to the familiar reverberations. Her earlier concerns drifted away as the notes welled up from her throat once more, carried by the sound.

Her heart fluttered against her rib cage as she squeezed herself against him eagerly, finally noticing for the first time how thin her nightgown felt. She snaked a hand up along his neckline, sinking her fingers into his silky raven hair.

Gently, she guided them to turn slightly, putting the mural in his view. “Do you know what those lights are? I see them every year.”

The press of her body against his was just as exciting now as it had been the first time—she fit so _perfectly_ in his arms. Sluggishly, his gaze turned to the painted scene on the hearth, idly trailing his fingers along her spine as he considered it. “The…lost princess’s birthday lanterns?” he offered, before tilting his head to nuzzle against hers, taking in her warm, summery scent.

“ _I knew they weren't stars,_ ” she whispered, barely audible to her own ears over the rapid pace of her heart. Each stroke of his fingers against her back sent a shrill pulse of excitement up and down her spine. Was he even aware of the effect even his smallest touch had on her? A warmth coiled itself within her, tightening with each passing moment. She gently arched into him as he nuzzled against her silky hair at the top of her head.

“I've never been able to see them in person,” she confided.

There was a vaguely cloying scent about him (how had she not noticed sooner?), of something like…vanilla extract. Chemically saccharine with a slightly acidic bite, and almost overwhelming as it filled her senses. She drank it in as she wove her hands deeper into his hair, gently scratching as the scent rubbed off on her.

“No?” he asked absent-mindedly, distracted by the way her fingers worked into his hair. The pleasant feeling of her nails gently combing against his scalp encouraged him to press his own digits more firmly into her back, dragging them hard enough to snag and bunch the material of her dress as his other hand moved to cup the back of her neck, gently kneading the roots of her hair.

“Mhmm…” She could feel the knots in her tense neck shrinking under his ministrations. His other hand was digging more into the soft flesh of her back, holding her firmly in place, but she didn't mind. It was its own kind of thrill, fiercer than the sensations running up her spine. She found herself grabbing his hair more tightly the further he dug in.

A frisson shot along the length of Varian’s spine when she pulled at his hair, prompting his own fingers to coil into the thick waves of her own golden locks and tug with an irresistible force until her face was tilted up to his in offering. The hand at her back slid to hug the curve of her hip as he leaned close, their noses just barely brushing as he gazed at her with heavy-lidded eyes, his thumb rubbing circles into her side.

Rapunzel closed her eyes and met his lips without hesitation, wanting to push the tension growing inside her into him, so he would know how she felt. He hugged her even closer, her bosom pressing against him through the layered top of her nightgown. She couldn't part from him if she tried—and she found she didn't want to.

There was a tiny tendril of embarrassment sneaking into the back of her mind as she realized how vulnerable she had made herself, but she drowned it out with a small moan that escaped her. The humming had ceased as soon as their lips touched, but she could still feel the rush of sanguine magic that left her dizzy.

The press of her lush lips against his was like fireworks to Varian’s nervous system, a heady fervor encompassing the kiss that hadn’t been present before. He could think of nothing except the small woman pressed tight against his body, the heave of her soft chest against his making something sweet and sharp tug deep inside his abdomen. He couldn’t resist the urge to take in more of her, his tongue lightly swiping against the plumpness of her bottom lip as he squeezed her hip.

The airy feeling Rapunzel was swimming in almost made her feel weightless as she lost herself in the wetness he brought to their kiss. She was reaching up on her toes now, wanting to share as much contact as possible.

She tugged on his bottom lip with teeth, gently grazing it before, as much as she was loath to, she broke the kiss to say: “Mmm…the chair?”

Varian released a soft gasp at the dangerous enticement of her teeth tugging at his lip, and he nearly whimpered when she pulled away. But then she brought up the _chair_ , and his earlier fantasy of her sitting astride him flashed into his mind, bringing with it a roiling excitement.

“ _Yes_ ,” he breathed fervently against her lips, allowing her to push against him until the backs of his legs met the frame of the plush armchair. He wasted no time falling back onto the cushion, pulling her down with him by the hips.

“Mmph!”

Rapunzel quickly squeezed her thighs around him on the seat, spreading her weight as evenly as possible as she straddled him. Now it was her turn to tower over him as she sat up, haunches raised. With a happy trill, she re-initiated the kiss she had broken earlier. This time, she held his head with both hands, one running back into his hair, the other holding the side of his head around his ear firmly.

Her adorable noise made Varian smile even as her lips descended on his own, and he released a pleased murmur as he allowed her to guide his head back with her slim fingers. His hands eagerly rubbed along her back and sides, taking in her feminine curves with relish, heart pounding fiercely with excitement at having her atop him.

There was a part of him that almost couldn’t believe he had such a beautiful girl paying him this sort of attention. For him, romantic encounters were rare, and usually never escalated to anything more than unrequited pining, given his reputation as a ’ _dangerous wizard_ ’ (one that he adamantly refuted, but couldn’t seem to shake).

But that didn’t matter anymore, because now he was here with Rapunzel, and she was warm and wonderful and real…and teasing at his lips in ways that made sinful little shivers crawl along his spine.

Each gentle massage of his hands over her nightgown echoed the shivers running through Rapunzel’s core. The tension only seemed to build as she wound her slim fingers into his hair, winding further and further inside her, begging for some kind of release.

But she realized, in a tiny moment of embarrassment, that she wasn't very familiar with…the mechanics of these sorts of activities. So far she had largely been following his— _or her magic's?_ —lead, and doing what seemed to come naturally. Mother had warned her that it would be painful, that men only ever had terrible intentions in mind, and nothing good would, or even could, come of it.

The line of thought broached the well of sensations she was getting lost in. What they were doing right now—it curdled like vinegar in her gut. She kept hold of his head, but drew back from him, their lips parting by a few inches.

This _couldn't_ be that bad, like Mother had warned. This was fun and exciting, and it filled an absence she hadn't even been aware of until Varian came along. Even without the lull there was a kind of _connection_ between them. Only more human than of great cosmic destiny.

He was looking at her with those big, bright eyes—now tinted by ardent longing, saddened by her brief departure. She made a soft mewling sound, unprompted.

“Um…"

Picking up on the subtle shift in her demeanor, Varian stilled his hands, trying his best to bite back his disappointment at her ending the kiss. “What is it?” he asked softly, gently nudging her forehead with his. Had he done something wrong? Hurt her in some way? He had sort of lost himself for a moment there…

“It's…” She let her forehead fall gently against his, feeling his cool exhale over her moistened lips. “I've never actually—you like me, right? I know that's probably a silly question at this point…” Her eyes focused on a spot away from his face. This was somehow _more_ embarrassing. “Because…because I like this. I like us, like this. But this is all very new, and I feel like I barely know you.” She combed his hair absently as she spoke, torn between just _shutting_ _up_ and needing to voice her thoughts.

Varian bit his lip. She had a point…they really didn’t know each other. But he did know _one_ thing for sure.

“I _do_ like you,” he assured her, his cheeks flushing. “I-I like you a _lot_ , Rapunzel. But um…” He let out a heavy sigh, allowing his hands to drop from around her, feeling a heavy twinge of regret as he did. “I guess this might be a bit…fast.” Honestly he would love nothing more than to continue kissing and holding her, but if she was uncomfortable he didn’t want to pressure her. Though if she’d never even been outside of this tower then maybe…was he taking advantage of her?

The thought shook him to his core, and he was instantly ashamed of himself. Why hadn’t he stopped sooner? She probably thought he was some kind of creep for coming on to her so strongly…

A small whine escaped Rapunzel as he drew his hands back. The tension was starting to leave her as her hopes sagged. What should she say to him?

She supposed this was partly her fault—she had been the one who’d decided to use the melody to distract him from a long line of uncomfortable questions. The outcome had been very enjoyable—even her shame couldn't rob her of that fact—but she was suddenly feeling…less than stellar about that decision. It was hard to pin down why exactly though. “It—it's wonderful. This has been amazing…and I'm sorry.”

Varian’s brows pinched together in confusion, and he pulled back slightly. Wonderful? Amazing? Wasn’t she…wasn’t she upset with him for all of this? And why was _she_ apologizing? “Rapunzel no, I—” he trailed off, turning his face away from her. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”

She let his head go as he made to turn away from her. All this had been initiated because she was worried about the good mood disappearing, and then she had been the one to ruin it. Rapunzel bit her lip in thought. How best to get through to him, to appease that feeling snaking through her gut, threatening to ruin the desire that had been so lovingly fostered within her?

“No,” she said firmly. Sucking in a nervous breath, she wrapped her hands back around him, cupping his face as she tried to coax him to look at her again. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who…” Used the song. “It's my fault. I started this, and then I went and ruined it.”

“It…” Varian licked his lips as he looked into her sincere eyes, trying to piece together what to say. “It doesn’t matter what started it, I should have stopped it. You didn’t—” he trailed off, realizing it might actually be pretty insulting to tell her that she didn’t know any better.

He took a deep breath, reevaluating what it was he was trying to articulate. “I feel like I…like I took advantage of you,” he admitted, his head ducking in shame.

Rapunzel bit her lip guiltily—she hadn’t meant to chasten him, especially when he’d done nothing wrong. She had two options now: remind him more bluntly about the melody…or use it again to soothe him. The latter idea made her feel _grimy_.

“You…you didn't take advantage of me. I hummed the song…I was nervous—I didn't want…” To answer your questions. It would have been too difficult. “…the mood to be ruined. You were so sweet earlier and I just…I should have at least asked.”

Wait, she’d done that on _purpose_? Varian had just assumed it had been absent humming. But even still… “But when you stopped humming, I…I kept going,” he said. “I shouldn’t have…you didn’t deserve to have me pressure you like that.”

Pressure? That wasn't _inaccurate_ per se, but it was so…simplified compared to how it had felt. It had been the best kind of pressure, her own feelings rising to the occasion rather than being drowned out. She had _wanted_ it—though he seemed determined to believe otherwise.

How could she explain herself to him? There were too many thoughts to communicate. She thought she knew what she wanted. She _did_ want it, despite that little voice in the back of her head. She just…she was also nervous. Unsure. It was hard to quiet the doubts.

There was no getting around that awkward conversation was there? The truth was she was afraid. He was going to ask her to leave, and that's when she'd have to decide between safety and…whatever was outside.

The lanterns might be worth it. If Mother didn't find out…

“Varian…if I had been so inclined, I would have said no.” She had released him when he dropped his head down again. Having found some resolve, she wove her digits into his hair again, gently massaging his scalp, as slow as honey dripping into the batter. “Varian, look at me.”

Varian was surprised to feel the pleasant weave of her fingers in his hair again, and he obeyed, lifting his eyes to meet hers questioningly. He still didn’t feel right, she was so new, so _fresh_ to all of this…

Rapunzel refused to let the troubled look in his eyes deter her.

“You're so…” _Beautiful. Stubborn_. “Wonderful. And I’m saying that without any weird magic this time.” She brought a thumb forward to trace the hard line of his jaw. “So I’m asking you, without influence…” She thought about the things they had shared, how he had touched her; she leaned in, closing in by his ear: “Would you like to kiss me? To…” She swallowed, suddenly feeling self conscious again. “…touch me?”

Her tantalizing touch to his jaw made Varian’s breath hitch, his heart pounding as she leaned into him, her warm breath tickling at his ear as she asked those provocative questions. He squeezed his eyes shut and had to take a steadying breath before answering.

“…yes,” he admitted, his fingers digging into the arms of the chair as his back arched ever-so-slightly, unwittingly seeking contact even as he tried to calm himself. She was asking a question, not extending an invitation. But oh, how he _wanted_ to touch her, her weight on his legs already enough to make him want to squirm.

She gave a conspiratorial smile before pulling back up, rising with a grin on her face. From her stance, she could see him clearly now, knuckles gone white as he gripped the chair. His back was arching with need, body reaching to her for contact. It was good to know that he could restrain himself—not that she was worried, really—and for a moment she almost pitied him. It wasn't often she was given authority. Never, really.

She wouldn’t let his patience go to waste. She ached for his continued kindness so much it almost hurt.

“Then let’s,” she said, tracing a delicate finger over his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles** — Alternative title: reasons why you shouldn't hand the moonstone the aux cord. 
> 
> **Blondehairstripe** — Hope ya'll brought some milk because things are about to get spicy~ 🌶


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🌶 **WARNING:** This chapter contains sexual content.

* * *

Varian’s eyes flew wide and he gazed up at Rapunzel in astonishment. Was it just him, or did she almost seem _seductive_? Whatever the case, there was no mistaking her invitation this time, and the fact that she was initiating sent a thrill through him. It made him feel _wanted_ , and he responded by grasping the hand tracing his lips and pressing a lingering kiss to her palm, his breath shuddering against her skin at the satisfying contact.

Even when expecting him, Rapunzel couldn't hold back from making a giggly “Mmm” as he circled her hips eagerly, pulling her close. The kiss on her palm was gentle and sincere, making her blush—but it was also desirous, and more patient than their earlier entanglement.

With her free hand she took the opportunity to explore a little more, moving it down his neck and to the freckles speckling his shoulders, her fingers ghosting along his skin. Every shiver helped to wind the tension that had been lost, gradually renewing it as it tightened. “So many freckles. I guess we have that in common.”

Varian shivered beneath her curious fingers, her touch leaving trails of gooseflesh in their wake. He quirked one eyebrow at her observation, briefly pulling her hand away from his mouth to speak. “Do we?” he asked, his eyes trailing to her cloth-covered shoulders. He really couldn’t help imagining what her skin might look like underneath, and he let out a soft groan before lifting her hand once more to kiss at the sensitive skin of her wrist, his other hand curling into the material of her nightgown.

“We do!” she replied unthinkingly, her attention caught between the kisses peppering the inside of her wrist and the pull of her nightgown.

Her nightgown. He was topless, and the only thing separating them was the blue garment currently being twisted in his hand.

That would certainly be a step. But as much as her fluttering heart (and a warm, heady rush that was filling her from the back of her mind) might demand closeness, her nerves seemed less ready.

She brought her hand to cup his neck, gently thumbing the bob that moved along his throat whenever he spoke, and Varian’s head tipped back, a low hum vibrating beneath her fingers. The soft rumble sent a rush through her, running from her fingertip to her chest. His voice was so much lower than hers, and it warmed her to hear it.

Guiding the hand still in his grasp, he brought it to press against his chest, silently giving her permission to touch him however she pleased, even as his other hand rubbed small circles into her hip.

Taking his cue, she began touching his chest in earnest, curious to feel the shape of it, but careful to avoid contact with the opal planted above his heart. The skin was supple yet taut, the underlying muscle flexing with her touch. Her eyes quickly followed, noticing the hardened shape of his nipples. Smaller than hers, with fewer bumps too.

Varian sucked in a tight breath as Rapunzel curiously dragged a finger across his nipple, blushing at her wide-eyed fascination even as her touch sent jolts of pleasure straight to the coiling knot set low in his belly. Gripping her waist with both hands, he pulled her closer before allowing one hand to slowly trail down her hip to her outer thigh, squeezing the supple flesh there in response to her ministrations.

The attention to her thigh caught Rapunzel off guard, but pleasantly so as it made her legs tremble a little. She was beginning to feel the strain as wisps of a burn teased through her muscles. She could go for a while longer, but for the sake of saving her endurance, she lowered herself, her rump coming to rest just behind his knees. She squeezed his thighs encouragingly with hers.

The new position left a gap between her legs, running under her pelvis. Slowly she became aware of how the warmth coiling along her spine had made its way down to her lower regions, the small change in air chilling the wetness growing between her thighs.

She had been warned of this—of base desires as Mother had said. This kind of need was a feeling to be smothered in the dark, extinguished under shame and abstinence. But she swallowed her fear—this _couldn't_ be bad—as she took in a deep breath to steady herself. The exhale came out more like a moan. She closed her mouth, trying to trap it, but the deep note managed to escape before she could tie it down behind her teeth. It was fine; it wasn't the first sound like it she had made.

Varian swallowed hard as she settled the enticing softness of her hindquarters into his lap once more and squeezed herself around him, the breathy moan she released sending a subtle pulse of heat to the swirling desire building in his core. He wanted to hear her make _more_ pleasured sounds like that, and the idea of using his touch to coax them from her was _thrilling_.

Slowly, he ran his hand down her leg, only stopping when he reached the strip of creamy thigh that had been exposed when her skirt caught between them. He traced the edge of the material with his fingertips, looking into her eyes, silently asking permission to continue touching her.

It was in this moment that Rapunzel could finally see how he was drinking her in; every sound, every breath, every shrill frisson that ignited another spark in her. His eyes flickered between her mouth, her eyes, and the growing arch of her spine.

So when he silently requested to explore past the edges of her nightgown, the heat coiling in her implored her to say yes. Begging her for release—and it seemed inclined to think that further exploration would provide that.

“…okay. But let's take it slow,” she whispered.

Varian nodded. “Just tell me when to stop,” he replied, his voice thick with desire, yet still gentle, assuring her that he wanted her to be comfortable, to enjoy what he was doing to her. He shuffled his fingers beneath the hem of her dress before sliding his palm against her, enjoying the smoothness of her warm skin. He slowly worked his way inward, his fingertips teasing the flesh of her inner thigh where it pressed against the material of his pants. What he wouldn’t give to have them wrapped around his hips…

Rapunzel dragged a palm back up to his shoulder, gripping it tightly as she rode out the strokes teasing her inner thigh, purring as he moved further. Even seated her muscles were tightening with anticipation.

But while she was slowly letting herself go, Varian was still largely…unattended. Her other hand found its way over his chest, feeling wisps of soft, fine chest hair that reminded her of the fuzzy peaches Mother would sometimes bring her in the summer. Then she wound further down the center line of his torso, tentatively drawing her fingertips over his belly.

Sparks of pleasure followed the line Rapunzel drew over his torso, and Varian arched into her touch, allowing a soft moan of his own to slip from his throat. His fingers kneaded at her inner thigh as he ran his other hand up her back, pausing to draw small, swirling circles between her shoulder blades even as he pressed the heel of his palm to her spine to guide her closer.

Rapunzel found herself biting her bottom lip as she listened to the low baritone of his voice rumble under the moan. Her thumb idly spun circles against his shoulders, and she shuffled forward agonizingly slowly as he coaxed her towards him. The rough texture of his pants rubbed against the inside of her legs until there was only a few inches separating them.

The way her teeth caught at her bottom lip paired with the pretty flush of her cheeks and the desire so clearly shining in her eyes was almost insanely attractive to Varian, and those few inches separating them became just a few too many. He closed the distance to seal his lips to hers, wanting to recapture the heady momentum they’d lost before, sucking at her lower lip before gently bearing down with his teeth, wanting to share the same pleasure that she’d given him.

Her fingers returned to threading his hair as she felt that same rush of passion overwhelm her, the last dredges of doubt lost in a warm sea as he tugged on her lip.

And then it was as if an elastic snapped—she rushed forward, rising up to press as much of herself against him as possible. As her bosom squeezed and splayed across his bare chest, she was met with the distinct feeling of two hard tips meeting his firm muscles. The layers of her nightgown suddenly felt so thin—and yet still too thick of a separation.

Varian released a gasp into the kiss as she pressed herself into him, eyes wide. There was no mistaking what he was feeling…the heavenly softness of her breasts was capped with two firm buds that pressed into him even through the material of her clothing.

Rapunzel was _aroused_ , and the knowledge that it was for _him_ forced the deep, throbbing heat in the pit of his stomach to rapidly spread to his groin. He could feel himself becoming erect, each pulse of his heart pumping more and more blood to his arousal, and he couldn’t contain a low moan, his cheeks flushing as his fingers dug into her back and thigh.

 _“Mmmn!”_ she vocalized, her voice carrying down into his mouth, now without shame as her flesh caved under his fingertips. Another frisson of excitement spiked through her, settling now between her thighs, heated and moist. She instinctively curled her fingers, wrenching his hair in small fistfuls.

Perched this close to him…if she so chose, and she lowered herself down, she might be able to…rub against him. Her loins urged her to find a point of contact, a faint echo of her pulse being felt through her folds.

“Varian,” _kiss._ “I'm going to,” _kiss._ “sit back down.” _A shared, hitched breath._ “Okay?”

Varian’s breath came hard and fast as she tugged at his hair, escaping in desperate huffs between heated kisses. But then she was saying something, and he mindlessly agreed with a hurried “Okay” before once more occupying himself with the addicting taste of her lips, his hands roaming.

Then her words actually _registered_ , and he jolted as he realized that her sitting would put her directly into contact with—

There was a small bounce as Rapunzel’s butt hit his thighs, knees splaying over him as she landed—on something new. Something long and almost hard sitting between his legs. It twitched, insistent against the fabric of his pants—and rising towards _her_.

"Oh!" she yelped, surprised.

Varian released something between a moan and a breathy cry when she sat directly on top of the prominent bulge in his pants, the shock of the sudden contact making stars burst behind his eyes. His head fell back against the chair, eyes squeezing shut as he tried to regain his bearings, his hips twitching beneath hers as both hands grasped at her hips.

 _Did I hurt him?_ was the first thing to run through Rapunzel’s mind when their kiss abruptly ended, his head sinking into the cushion as his eyes seemed to plead with her. She stilled when he grasped her hips, pinning her at a height _right_ above the barest contact point. It pulsed fervently, brushing against her wetness.

The urge to rock his hips against her was so strong Varian could hardly stand it, and the muscles in his lower back and buttocks clenched as he forced himself to remain still. “R-rapunzel…” he managed to gasp, cracking his eyes open to give her a look that he hoped conveyed the apology he was too flustered to utter aloud, hoping she wasn’t upset with him.

"Are you alright?" she breathed, worried by his sudden stillness as she froze in place.

Varian blinked twice, confused by her question. “M-me? No, I’m—I’m fine but…are you?“ he asked, his eyes searching hers, yet finding no trace of the disgust, apprehension, or fear he expected to see. Just…genuine concern. She truly thought she might have hurt him, didn’t she?

His heart swelled with affection— _she was so sweet, wasn’t she?_ —and he lifted a hand to gently touch the side of her face.

She leaned into the touch, letting out a slow, long exhale. "I'm good," she said, smiling reassuringly, before reuniting their lips with a wet _chu_. His expression had been so sweet as he simply adored her for a moment.

Varian’s heart beat faster at the revelation that she was _okay_ with this. All of it…all of _him_. In his excitement he forgot his restraint, giving in to his base instincts and rolling his hips up into her even as his tongue traced the seam of her plush lips, begging for entrance. He wanted to be closer, wanted to taste her fully—she’d proven that she could handle herself, that she wasn’t some timid little thing he needed to treat like fine china.

As he ground his hips up against her arousal, she let out a low, drawling moan, surprising even herself with the intensity of her response.

Her wanton moan sent delicious shivers through Varian, and he took full advantage of her parted lips to sweep into the warm cavern of her mouth, greedily taking the opportunity her exhale provided with hungry desperation. She tasted sweet, like the honey she’d used earlier, and he just couldn’t get enough.

His tongue glided under the sensitive ridges of her mouth, the edges of her teeth, and finally tasting and wrapping around her own. Her moan turned to lilting whines as his tongue flickered across the wet planes of her mouth, and his tangy vanilla scent filled her senses anew.

He wasn't holding back now, braver for her enthusiastic consent. The thought thrilled Rapunzel more than it did frighten, freeing her from the spot she had been frozen in. She let her knees splay a little farther, sinking deeper in time with his rolls. Her wetness rubbed over the fabric, soaking in tiny strips along his length, making the wet fabric cling to the growing, twitching organ.

It didn’t take more than a few rolls of his hips before Varian felt her dampness seeping through the material of his pants, and he gave a low, needy gasp into her mouth at the realization of just how much he was affecting her. Gripping her hips, he pulled her down into the next surge of his pelvis, holding her in place as he rutted against her, more thoroughly coating himself with her essence. He continued to undulate beneath her, trying to maximize the incredible sensation of her mound rubbing so enticingly against him. He didn’t usually resort to grinding for stimulus, but this was _so_ much better than anything he’d ever experienced before.

The rhythm of his hips intensified as she soaked through to him, pushing them into near constant contact as he rutted underneath the swirling mass of her arousal. Her fingers twined into his hair, giving a sharp, exacting tug that jerked him a bit closer to her. The other hand squeezed his shoulder, her thin digits digging sharp indentations into his flesh. " _Varian_ ~" she purred into the honey cake taste of his mouth.

The harsh tug of his hair and the feeling of her nails digging into his bare skin made Varian suck in a hissing breath, but not entirely of pain, the rough touches instead sending bolts of arousal shuddering along his spine.

His hands dragged up her sides, his fingers wrapping along the outline of her ribcage, thumbs coming to rest just beneath the curve of her breasts. He rubbed them against her, fingertips just barely grazing the underside of those enticing swells of flesh as he tipped his head to kiss the corner of her mouth, shuddering as she purred his name in that sultry tone.

A shake rolled through Rapunzel as he groped the supple flesh of her curves, settling along the underside of her breasts. Pleasure coiled in her bosom, flesh tender under his caress, while her tips remained firm.

She grinded her hips, searching for a position that would trap him between her legs. She needed _more_.

The need for _more_ certainly translated through the increased passion in the movement of her hips, leaving Varian free to offer further stimulation through other means. Taking her shiver as a permission, he slid his hand up further, cupping the softness of her breast in his palm and groaning at how wonderful it felt, her pert nipple dragging against his skin through the thin fabric as he settled his hand into place.

Her breasts were by no means overly large, but the malleable flesh fit into his hand so _perfectly_ , and it was more than supple enough for him to give a healthy squeeze as his other hand circled around her back to keep her in place for him.

He palmed her breast easily, fingers sinking into the cushioned fat of her bosom. "Mm!" Rapunzel moaned excitedly when those digits gave a firm squeeze. Her pert nipple fell in the divot between his fingers, grazing against them on either side as he pressed into her.

With him supporting the small of her back, she took a risk and let the hand gripping his shoulder fall down and over the defined muscles of his chest, gently flicking a nipple as she roamed downward to trace a finger over his belly, before hooking on the hem of his pants. She was curious about this piece of unfamiliar anatomy, and feeling it strain against the now moist fabric, it certainly seemed like it might be uncomfortable.

Varian was so focused on the wondrous globe of flesh trapped beneath his fingers that the flick to his own nipple came as a surprise, making him jolt slightly at the zing of pleasure, and certainly making him more aware of her finger dragging down his stomach. Then that devious finger slipped beneath his waistband, and he gave a choked moan, his hips jerking against her once more, fingers tightening on her breast and unknowingly pinching her nipple between them.

The pinch sent a sizzling bolt into Rapunzel’s chest as his strong fingers pressed deeper into her velvety flesh, and Varian was briefly put on high alert at the small—and quite frankly adorable—yelp that escaped her.

“Ah!” Rapunzel let out a heavy breath, trying without much success to compose herself. “V-varian...” she stammered, small jolts of pleasure continuing to emanate from her trapped nipple. But apparently winding her finger down had been the correct step, if his impassioned reaction was anything to go by.

She tugged at his waistband, feeling it give before being pinned by her own splayed legs. She attempted to shuffle the two shivering limbs out of the way, but only succeeded in squirming between the arms of the chair.

The insistent tug at his waistband laid to rest Varian’s short-lived fear that he’d somehow hurt her,and he settled back into the chair—only to give a keening groan as she squirmed atop him, the side to side motion creating a new flurry of sensation.

But that brief lapse reminded him that she was new to this (well…so was he, but he’d read a lot!), and he didn’t want to scare her with…well… _himself_.

“Rapunzel…” he breathed, moving the hand on her back to gently settle over the hers as it fussed with his waistband. “H-how much do you know about…about men?”

Rapunzel tipped her head to the side. She knew everything Mother had told her, though none of her warnings seemed quite as relevant now.

Which left…a lot to know, admittedly. "I guess…not as much as I should probably," she told him. "But I want to see it…and I want you to feel good too."

Varian’s expression softened, and his hand lifted to cup her cheek. “Are you sure? Because, um…if you’ve never seen a, ah—” He blushed, not sure what he wanted to call it. _Penis_ was a bit of a mood breaker, and so many of the other terms seemed too vulgar to use this early on. He finally settled on something he felt was a decent middle ground. “—an _erection_ , it could be a bit…shocking.”

He gently rubbed his thumb along the delicate line of her jaw, waiting with bated breath for her answer. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want her to continue—the tight confines of his pants were starting to become uncomfortable, and there was a quivering thrill at the thought of her looking at, or better yet _touching_ him directly.

Her eyes fluttered, falling half-lidded as he caressed the line of her jaw. After a few heavy moments: "I'm sure. I want to see _all_ of you. I can't imagine it being that scary," she said, relaxing into his hand. "And besides, I trust you. You've shared this wonderful thing with me."

He had been so caring and loving with her. It was hard to imagine that changing with just the removal of his pants. She smiled at him, gazing deep into the pools of his eyes, the brilliant blue strip of his iris now a thin line around a widened pupil.

She…she wanted to see _all_ of him? Varian’s entire face warmed again, and he couldn’t help the shy, crooked grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Then…” He licked his lips, suddenly nervous about voicing his own request. But the mental image of her nightgown slipping from her shoulders to reveal the soft, womanly curves hidden beneath was too tempting for him to pass up.

The worst she could do was say no, right?

“Can I see all of you too?” His hand smoothed down the side of her neck, fingers gliding to where the neckline of her nightgown met freckled skin. She’d teased him with the knowledge that the flecked markings continued even further, and he very much wanted to see for himself.

It was only fair she supposed. The thought warmed her, before a discordant note of nervousnessrang through her. _What if he rejected her?_

No, no he wouldn't do that. Not after all this. And he had already felt the curves of her body, and seemingly enjoyed it.

One his hands had wandered down to her shoulder, where her smooth skin met the frilly edge of her nightgown. It would be easy to let it fall down her shoulders…or pull it over her head. She pinned her bottom lip as she mulled it over.

“Of course,” she said, folding her arms in, narrowing herself so the fabric could slide gracefully down over her slender shoulders.

“ _Really_?” Varian was unable to keep himself from smiling excitedly at her consent. Then he cleared his throat, attempting to calm himself. He needed to be slow and gentle, she deserved nothing less.

Taking a deep breath to calm the rapid beating of his heart, he slowly, almost reverently, eased the loose material from her shoulders, drinking in each inch of freckled skin as it was revealed to him.

The material caught on the swell of her breasts, perched just over her hardened nipples. His breath stuttered slightly as he drank in the cleavage the view afforded him, her folded arms pushing her breasts up and together. Gulping, he slowly slid a single finger down her collarbone before hooking it into the neckline and giving a small tug, waiting for her permission.

As he drank in the sight of her, Rapunzel’s heart raced. The longing pooling in his eyes spoke to his wonderment—and _she_ was the one he wanted. All of her, freckles included. It also helped that she could feel him growing more excited, between his uneven breathing and tensing underneath her.

Nodding, she unfolded her arms—making her breasts fall slightly in the process—and sucked in a breath and held it as the fabric slid to her waist, resisting the sudden and strange urge to cover herself. It seemed odd to be struck with a bout of shame now, having just moments ago been graced with Varian’s adoration for her, the awe that captivated him every time he looked at her.

Varian’s breath caught in his throat as the material finally pooled around her waist, and _damn_ , she was even more gorgeous than he’d imagined.

Awestruck eyes took in rosy skin adorned with freckles and round, perky breasts capped with pink nipples that made the heated knot in his stomach tighten even further. With some effort, he pulled his gaze from the inviting curves of her body and looked into her eyes, lifting a hand to brush back her hair. “You’re beautiful, Rapunzel,” he breathed reverently.

Rapunzel sucked in a shaky breath. He thought her bare form was beautiful. Not chubby or too freckled, but _beautiful_.

Rather than voice her more dour thoughts, she simply whispered “Thank you,” with a small smile, feeling another, more gentle shiver run down her neck as he brushed some of her long strands out of her face.

Now what to do about the nightgown? She had promised to show him everything, hadn't she?

Her demure ‘thank you’ absolutely made Varian melt, and he leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips. Then he felt her shimmying and glanced down to see her awkwardly attempting to shuck the rest of her nightgown, having a little bit of trouble from her position as she squeezed it over her rounded hips.

He couldn’t help chuckling at the look of flushed determination on her face, and he linked his arms around her in a loose circle, allowing her to lean as far back as she needed without worry of toppling backwards. Though the way she wiggled in his lap as she attempted to shuffle her legs free had the odd effect of being both arousing and endearing to him.

“Need any help?” he asked, halfway hoping she’d say yes.

“Maybe,” she said, caught halfway through shimmying a leg out of the gown. His arms cradling her were appreciated, and had definitely saved her from tipping over. And for all of her wiggling, _he_ certainly seemed to be enjoying her awkwardness, given that chuckling of his. “Okay, yes. Please?” she finally asked.

“Be happy to,” he responded cheekily. “Brace your hands on my shoulders, okay?” When she complied, he placed one hand on her hip and guided her into standing on her knees. He couldn’t contain a blush at the close proximity of her breasts to his face, and had to restrain himself from nuzzling between them.

Instead, he had her shift her weight to the side, using one hand to lift her leg while the other pulled the material from around it, then repeated the process with her other leg.

Finally, she was free of the blue material, and Varian rewarded himself by running his hands along the bare skin of her thighs, which he was pleased to note also had a modest smattering of freckles. He smiled, rubbing his thumbs into the firm softness just a few inches shy of the juncture of her legs, his fingers gliding slightly from the wetness that had spread. _Damn_ , she was so slick and ready for him, but he could restrain himself, take things slow for her sake.

The wetness had dripped down farther than Rapunzel realized. A blush bloomed across her face as he stared at her, but he didn't laugh or chuckle at her excitement. For him, it was probably a good sign—he had been so concerned with her well being during all this. And the moistness that had spread showed that in spades.

“Thank you, again,” she said softly.

Tipping his head back, Varian gazed at her adoringly as he shifted a hand to cup her hip, gently circling his thumb over her hipbone as he murmured a quiet “You’re welcome” in return.

Gosh, he was so gentle with her. He was nothing like she had imagined, or been warned about. And he was so patient, wanting her to be okay. It was nice to have her opinion matter so much, and she was enjoying every minute of this.

Especially his breathing. She was able to watch the rise and fall of his chest, and the gentle flex of the firm muscles she had felt earlier. His cheeks were flushed, a beautiful shade of pink dotted with dusky freckles, and the way his eyes drank in every inch of her…

All that was left was her panties. Somewhat soaked now, she realized belatedly. Taking a deep breath, with a longer exhale, she let go of one of his shoulders and let her hand follow his arm down to her side. Then she curled a finger around the band at her hips.

Varian placed his hand over hers, his smile gentling. “We can take this slow, Rapunzel. You don’t have to rush for my sake.” Lifting her hand, he pressed a kiss to her fingers.

If he was honest, he wanted nothing more than to take in every inch of her beautiful body. But they didn’t need to rush; there was already so much of her that he could explore without removing the last barrier between her and complete vulnerability.

 _Oh_. That really did it. Rapunzel’s heart swelled again, feeling a rush of affection spring forth.

“Okay. Kiss me again?” she asked, leaning forward.

As she felt the weight of her unsupported breasts, an idea struck her.

Turning her hand in his, she wove her slim fingers between his digits and squeezed tightly, before pulling it upward and letting it settle just below the swell of her breast as she untangled their hands. Her hand slid over his and she gently pushed it closer, remembering how good his earlier work with her bosom had been.

Varian could feel his heart pounding against his ribs when she guided his hand to her chest, surprised at her initiative, but finding that he really liked when she decided to take charge. He allowed his fingers to slide along the underside of her breast, cupping it and enjoying the weight of the soft globe as it rested in his hand. “Kiss you…where?” he asked, licking his lips and glancing up at her with half-lidded eyes, his other hand moving to trace a single finger up her spine.

She…she hadn't actually considered the possibility of him kissing her _other_ places when she had asked for him to kiss her again. His tongue had been a welcome intrusion into the cavern of her mouth, tickling the ridges of the roof in its exploration. And when it locked with her own tongue, the wet muscle gently toying with hers…

And to have that on—oh, now she was _definitely_ blushing quite boldly. Her bosom had become much more tender since things became…more _exciting_ between them. His earlier handling of them had been surprising to say the least, but not because of his attention so much as…how her arousal seemed to make them _swell_ for it.

She brought up a hand to cup her own face as a wave of dizziness rolled through her. “I…I was thinking, um, like earlier, but that _does_ sound nice,” she squeaked out, squeezing his hand around her breasts.

Feeling her sway slightly, Varian realized that he might’ve been too forward, and he quickly wrapped his arm around her to support her, guiding her to sit in his lap. Dammit, and he’d just told her they would take it slow.

Gently, he pulled her to his chest and pressed his forehead to hers. “We can work our way up to that,” he assured her, rubbing her back soothingly.

“No no, it's fine. I just…” Saying it as straight as she could seemed like the best route. She wasn't sure how else she _could_ say it. “…I was just thinking about what that would be like, and it...it sounds really nice. Your tongue felt good in my mouth and I was just imagining—“ She sat herself down, resting just behind his knees, careful not to break contact with his forehead. “They're very sensitive right now, so I know it would be good. Imagining it was just…”

Varian felt heat stirring not only in his cheeks, but also in the pit of his stomach, swirling pleasantly as he listened to her describe how his _tongue_ had made her feel. And then to hear that she’d imagined him kissing her _sensitive_ breasts? And maybe more if her mind was working anything like his was at the moment…

He had to bite back a groan as he felt his erection stir. Did she have any idea how her words were affecting him?

The hand massaging her back helped soothe Rapunzel down to a more normal level. It was funny how easily her new excitement could overtake her. She knew it was something she wanted, but she wasn't used to having her breasts played with. But that just meant…

“What if…we started more like…” she began, searching for his hand under her breast again. She lifted it and gently pressed his palm against her bare flesh. “This?”

Varian sucked in a sharp breath as the soft fullness of her breast filled his hand, squishing pleasantly between the gaps of his fingers. Taking her cue, he squeezed softly, enjoying the way it gave under the light pressure, how her pert nipple pressed into his palm. “Y-yeah, I think this could work,” he agreed.

That seemed to do the trick, if his reaction was anything to go by. She hadn't meant to tease him…but she had to admit, getting a reaction out of him with just her words was nearly as satisfying as his touches.

She bit her lip as he squeezed her breast again. Still gentle, and she was beginning to get the impression that he had been restraining himself from being more rough. So many sharp, sucked breaths. But she didn't mind. It made her happy to know that he cared enough to take things at her pace. He had said he would, but actually experiencing it was another thing altogether.

As her soft skin gave way to him, another frisson of pleasure swelled in her chest, sending her heart pounding again for a few beats. Every new mote of pressure as his hand worked its way through the shape of her flesh made her exhale deeply as it sent another wave. The outside of her breast was so soft—aside from her pert nipple pressing enticingly against his palm—with what felt like a thicker center just an inch or so below the surface as he pressed in. The fingertips digging in more deeply were occasionally reaching it—and with it, grazing against that sweet ache inside her chest.

His other hand was still at her back. As her earlier worries slowly drifted away, she let her eyes flutter closed for a moment. She found herself sinking into it, really wanting to feel what he was doing, and so the support at her waist was appreciated. Especially as her back gradually arched as he continued to steadily explore the shape of her breast. Until he increased the pressure ever so slightly, and her next exhale came out long and hot, and sounded more like a broken and breathy _Aaah_.

Varian was pleased at how responsive she was to his touch, her breathy little noises and the arch of her back as she presented herself to him encouraging him to grope her more fully—to _really_ feel how far he could sink his fingers into the tender swell of flesh.

Her free hand dove into his hair as she gripped his shoulder tightly. She prayed she wasn't hurting him with how hard she was holding onto it in that moment. A second later it loosened as the spike in her passed.

The sharp dig of her nails into his shoulder and the tight pull of her fingers in his hair sent a searing shot of arousal through Varian’s core, and he became acutely aware of the pulsing tension between his legs, the tight press of the cool, damp material of his pants reminding him of how wonderful it had felt to have her against him. His arousal gave a slight twitch at the phantom memory of her warmth pressing into him, coating him with her slickness…

“Th-thank you…” she breathed, bringing him from his thoughts. He smiled at her, endeared that she was enjoying herself enough to _thank_ him for it. It was such a wholesome response—could she _get_ any cuter?

Rapunzel realized that this seemed a little one-sided, as much as she was enjoying it. She peeked an eye open, studying him while she tried to figure out what she could do for him from this position. He had seemed to like it earlier when she grazed his nipple…

Varian leaned in to kiss her cheek, then gasped at the unexpected contact of her fingertips against his nipple, shivering as the small bud hardened beneath her touch. It reminded him that he should really pay more attention to the tempting pink tip nestled against his palm, and he shifted his hold to flick his thumb across it, enjoying the pliable stiffness beneath the pad of his finger.

“Oh!”

She hadn't expected _that_ , a sharp spike of arousal running through her hardened bud to form a central point to the arousal coiling in her. It was exciting in a different way—shrill rather than overwhelmingly warm. And she could feel him reacting under her own touch in kind—it was _so_ satisfying.

He was digging further into her breast now, braver for her response. The tenderness gave way to a pleasurable soreness, one that ached for _more_ rather than less. Her loins were a mess of wetness and warmth, blending into a swirling mass of arousal that urged her to show him how she felt. With another firm tug on his hair, she passionately pressed their lips together, careful to leave enough room between them for him to continue work.

“Mm…” Varian couldn’t help but groan as she connected their mouths again, reveling in the soft press of her lips as she kissed him hungrily. Sliding his hand down her back, he pulled her hips flush with his, letting out a heavy breath through his nose as the moist heat of her core settled against him once more, making him shudder as he arched his hips to press up and into her. He continued to tease her breast, capturing the peak between his thumb and forefinger and gently rolling.

She groaned in turn as their hips connected, and he began rolling up into her more eagerly—or perhaps more desperately—than before. Wallowing in her heat, she breathed in deeply between kisses, confronted with pure enjoyment on multiple fronts. It seemed almost endless; more simply poured forth the harder she pressed, grinding down in rhythm with him.

It wasn’t long before another lilting whine seeped into their locked lips. She could feel his erection twitching under her, pressing against the moist fabric. Their need seemed to grow the more they gave in to their hunger. And she was glad to share this with him.

Finally, Varian broke the kiss, a thin strand of saliva connecting them for just a moment before breaking as he tipped his head back to rest on the chair, trying to collect enough breath to quell at least some of the fire raging through his body. Being with her like this was _amazing_ , but having his erection trapped in pants that felt much too tight was starting to wear on him…and maybe chafe a little.

There was a dissonant note of disappointment when the kiss parted, but as he leaned back, panting, Rapunzel knew the moment was coming. His growing discomfort was almost palpable as she felt him twitch underneath her, straining more and more as the fabric soaked in her essence.

She gave him a few moments to breath, then gently hooked a finger on his waistband as she shuffled back by a half measure to give them the room they needed. Her hand relaxed into a gentle comb of his hair before sliding to cup his cheek. “Let's get you out of these. They seem uncomfortable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles —** Even under magical influence, consent 👏 is 👏 important!
> 
>  **Blondehairstripe —** We like a dash of emotional connection with our spice. 👌😌
> 
>  **A special add on to this week's update:** Want to enjoy and comment on Varipunzel works in peace with like-minded individuals and see exclusive content? DM the Varipunzel [Tumblr](https://varipunzel.tumblr.com/) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/varipunzel_discord/) to get an invite to the Varipunzel Discord Server! ✨


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

The feeling of Rapunzel’s finger slipping into his waistband once more made Varian’s cheeks flare, his pulse quickening with nervous anticipation. He certainly couldn’t deny the discomfort, or his eagerness to have her touch him, but…he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive that she might not like what she would see.

But then she gently combed his hair and looked at him with that tender expression as she held his cheek, and his nerves slowly melted away into fond trust. “It…yeah, it kinda is…” he agreed, giving her a shy smile as his hands shifted to rest loosely on her hips.

Biting her lip, Rapunzel absently noted that of the two of them, he was certainly in the easier position for clothing removal. Her fingers trailed to the shiny buckle of his belt, deftly undoing the clasp and pulling the strip of leather free. She wiggled again, trying to shift her weight off his lap—enjoying his hitched breath as she did so—as she slowly worked the fabric down. His erection was the most stubborn part. The moisture made the fabric cling to it, and she briefly worried that it might hurt if she pulled too hard (it seemed sensitive, with how it twitched). But it separated easily enough for her liking as she brushed a finger along the length of it to coax the damp fabric apart, and Varian’s breath shuddered from his body.

Now she just had to shuffle it down and over—except there was a small opening in the center tied by a drawstring. That certainly made things simpler, though it would probably be more comfortable if she could get them off properly. She undid the tie, and did her best to move the fabric down—

And it eagerly popped out on its own, flush and erect, twitching for a moment in its newly earned freedom. It was thicker than she had guessed. The fabric had not done it justice, though, and looking down its length, she idly wondered if this was what they all looked liked. Black curls surrounded the base as it stood at attention, thin veins running along its length until they reached a planed ridge around a bulb at the tip. There was a thin trail of something white leaking from a small hole at the farthest point.

When she finally released him from the constrictive cloth, Varian couldn’t contain a soft whine at how wonderful it felt to finally have room to breath, the air of the room slightly chilling his dampened length. But more important than being free was Rapunzel’s reaction to him. She didn’t seem afraid or disgusted, but rather intrigued, if the way she was studying him so intently was any indicator.

Rapunzel nodded to herself briefly. She had never…explored herself much, but she had a rough idea that her folds formed around two holes. Something would need to fill it she supposed—like a lock and key.

Despite the flush—or maybe because of it—as well as its eagerness it was…kind of cute? She hadn't had many expectations, but this was certainly a pleasant surprise.

She was about to tell him so—before catching herself. He might not appreciate the cute descriptor, given how nervous he had been about it. “I like it,” she smiled.

“Y-you do?” he asked, happily surprised by this news. He swallowed thickly. “Really?” There was a note of breathless wonder in his tone, amazed that she was so accepting of everything about him.

“Of course! Why wouldn't I?” she said softly, allowing a little mirth into her voice. Sure, she hadn't known what to expect, but the actual package wasn't nearly as alarming as he had made it out to be. Strange sure, and it looked rather raw with the veins she could see just under the skin, but it was a sensitive part of him, and any other response seemed incredibly inconsiderate, and just plain _wrong_.

Her eyes darted between his erection and face as she removed her hand from his hair. She had spent plenty of time studying his handsome features, but staring at his erection seemed…rude. She wanted to feel it, but first: “Can I touch it?” It almost felt silly to ask at this point, given… _everything_ , but she wanted to assure him that she wouldn't rush him either.

A heady excitement began to take hold of Varian again, and he felt a pulse of renewed arousal shoot from his belly to his groin, making his erection give another twitch. “I’d…really like that,” he murmured, ducking his head and smiling at her crookedly through his long bangs as he gave her hips a light squeeze.

Heavens he was _adorable_ , even now. She rubbed circles on his cheek with her thumb under his bangs, taking some satisfaction in seeing his erection twitch as her words reached him.

He was leaving it open for her to pace her exploration, at least for now. The head seemed the most…urgent as it was the most flushed. She let a finger tip follow the leaking white fluid from the shaft up to the tip, and then pulled it back to pinch out its texture between her fingers. “Hmm…” she half-murmured to herself while offering him a small, not quite devious smile as another small shudder rocked through his core.

“R-rapunzel,” he gasped, his voice tight. Her touch was _electric_ , eliciting sparks of pleasure wherever she touched on the sensitive organ, and he couldn’t keep his back from arching, offering himself up to her as his fingers dug into the curve of her hips. Then her hand drifted down and _squeezed_ , and he almost choked, vision going white at the edges for a split second as his hips gave an involuntary jerk.

Did she have magic in her _fingers_ too?

"Oh, you liked that hm?" she teased. Gosh, he was probably as sensitive here as she was. That sent a different kind of frisson straight into her gut, but it warmed her loins nonetheless. She casually, and very gently, traced her thumb around the top of the head.

The white fluid seemed different from her own wetness. There was certainly a lot less of it, and it wasn't as slippery. "What is this?" she asked, lifting her thumb to roll the white goo between her fingers.

“What’s what…?” Varian’s question trailed off when he glanced down and saw what she was rubbing between her fingers, and his eyes widened as a blush spread to the tops of his ears. “Uh…um th-that’s uh…” Dammit, he couldn’t figure out whether he was embarrassed or aroused by this. “P-pre-ejaculate. It, uh…it’s sort of a precursor to…um…when I…when I—”

He was stuttering now. His fingers rapped against her hips, her curves, moving nervously as he struggled to form a straight answer for her.

"When you…?" _Release_? That's what it felt like these feelings were building to. The full, twitchy feeling of his member made it seem like it might be rather _full_. But it couldn't be entirely filled with the white sticky goo. That would be a bit much, right?

Varian swallowed hard. He really hadn’t expected to have to explain how a male orgasm worked today. He wasn’t _prepared_ for this, and his face only reddened further as he squirmed underneath her. Okay yeah, embarrassment might be edging out arousal as the dominant feeling here.

But only by a little.

Seeing that Varian was struggling to form a coherent response for her, Rapunzel finally offered her own conclusion. "…release?"

It was both a relief and a shock when Rapunzel was able to supply the answer for him, and Varian’s heart jumped into his throat at the notion that she might actually have some idea of what that might entail. He gulped before giving a slight nod in confirmation.

Rapunzel grinned. This was almost more fun than receiving. She had to admit, it was very satisfying to have him on the other end.

What to ask him next…?

"Does it hurt? Will there be a lot? It does seem rather, um, full."

Varian should have known better than to expect anything more than a short reprieve. She was so _curious_ , which was actually a pretty attractive trait.

It was just the subject matter that was a bit awkward.

“No it…it doesn’t hurt,” he answered, before biting his lip. “I mean it _could_ , if it was, uh… _erect_ for too long. B-but not yet.” If Varian were less flustered, it might actually be sort of funny that she seemed to view his erection like some sort of engorged water skin.

Well, in a way it sort of was…but the impression that it was filled with more ejaculatory fluids rather than blood wasn’t _quite_ right. But that was a nuanced detail better left for a more in-depth discussion—and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to draw her attention to where the semen actually resided.

But she did deserve to have her last question answered, since there was a possibility she’d witness the messy aftermath. “And uh…when I do um, _release_ , it might seem like a lot compared to what’s…what’s there right now.” He reached down and took her hand, turning it over and rubbing his thumb against her palm. “And it’s _probably_ going to be…pretty messy.”

So there was going to be a mess when he finally released. More of the white stuff. “That's fine! I can just clean it up after,” Rapunzel said, briefly pondering if she should get up to fetch a cloth. But that would mean separating from him, and she didn't want to ruin the moment. They were fit so snuggly within the confines of the armchair.

She twisted her wrist, firmly grasping the hand that had been tracing circles in her palm. If this was going to hurt after too long, then they should probably do something about it. “Can I go back to touching it then?”

“O-of course,” he said, releasing her hand to rest his own on her thigh. “And don’t worry about the mess, I’ll…I’ll handle the cleanup.” Honestly, the idea of making her clean up after him was pretty discomfiting…he should be taking care of _her_ , not the other way around.

Rapunzel gave a small, eager bounce in his lap that brought a smile to his face. “This is so exciting!”

The tip seemed like a good place to start again, so she returned to lightly rubbing it with her thumb. She could feel him twitching again under her touch, and it was pleasing to feel him enjoying it. After a few moments, she realized that the length was largely unattended, and she experimentally let her other fingers brush down the shaft.

Varian gave a quiet whimper, her light touch all at once tantalizing and torturous as he squirmed beneath her. He needed _more_ , but refused to ask for it, not wanting to push her into doing anything she wasn’t ready for. She needed to take her time, to get used to him, but _damn_ if he didn’t want her so much that it was truly beginning to ache.

“You like that?” she asked, unintentionally taking on a soft, husky tone as she focused on monitoring his reactions. The more she played with it, the more confident she felt. This was fine.

The low, seductive purr of her voice sent shivers racing up Varian’s spine. “Yes…” he groaned, his eyes slipping closed.

Rapunzel smiled, before sparing a moment to test its…posture by poking it down gently. It stood right back up.

Varian’s eyes popped open. “R-rapunzel _please_ ,” he gasped. He wasn’t sure if he was asking her to stop toying with him or to _keep going_.

Rapunzel tipped her head. It was hard to tell if he was getting any closer. He was certainly pleased by her touch, but she was still getting the sense he was holding something back. “Is there something I can do to help you relax?”

“L-let me show you?” he asked, moving his hand to brush over her knuckles. While he doubted showing her how to touch him would help him _relax_ , it would certainly help release some of the building tension from the tight knot burning in his lower belly.

"I'd love that," she replied. If his erection was engorged, was she going to have to…squeeze it out? She could do that.

Her thoughts were answered when he repositioned her hand, wrapping her fingers around the shaft while leaving her thumb free to glide over the planed ridge underneath the head.

Once her hand was in position, Varian squeezed his fingers around hers, letting out a soft groan at the wonderful pressure, before gently guiding her into a slow pumping motion. “J-just like this…” he murmured, before leaning in to kiss her.

"Okay~" she chirped just before their lips met again. His lips were a bit colder than before, but she didn't let that deter her.

She followed the pumping motion, careful to include at least the edge of the head as she went up and down. After a bit she made sure her thumb continued to tease it at the height of her pumps. He started to speed up her motions, very gradually guiding her into faster pumps.

"Ohh, I think I get it now!"

With the increased pace, she decided to test pressure as well. On her next downward motion, she held just a tad tighter.

Her tightened grip coaxed a squeaking moan from Varian, and he thrust up into their combined hold, his hand guiding hers into meeting the movement of his hips as his breath left him in shuddering gasps. He could feel a familiar tightness coiling in his lower stomach and at the base of his erection, and bit his lip in an attempt to keep himself steady.

"Oh someone's getting excited~" she said, trying to tap into her sultry voice from earlier. "Let's see if we can do something about it?" She squeezed his pelvis with her knees, careful not to pinch him.

Varian let out a plaintive groan. Damn, did she know that what she was doing technically counted as talking dirty? And that it was only serving to push him closer to the edge? Because if not, she was _some_ kind of natural seductress, and maybe he should be a little afraid of that.

The pumping motion was easy enough for Rapunzel. Straightforward. But although the skin was fairly taut around the member, it was hard not to slip up and press it the wrong way.

Both of their states of arousal seemed to have weird quirks. But thinking about them in tandem, especially with the lock and key image she’d conjured earlier…

Oh.

Is that what—?

"Varian, I have an idea."

Varian nearly whimpered as her movements slowed, but he didn’t force her to continue the frantic pace he’d coaxed her into, instead focusing on what she had to say. “A-an idea?” he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Rapunzel drew her other hand away from his head. Hoping her hunch was correct, she ran her fingers along the inside of her thigh to gather what remained there of her wetness, and before she could change her mind, brushed her fingers against the length exposed in a downward pump.

Varian completely forgot to breathe for a few seconds, his pupils dilating as he watched her gather her slickness on her fingertips. Then he sucked in a ragged breath at the cool shock when she proceeded to smear it on his member, but that sensation was quickly forgotten as she spread it in the next few strokes, her hand gliding smoothly, taking in longer, more thorough pumps.

The reduced friction was _amazing_ , the lewd sound of her fingers working over his slick skin only enhancing the experience. Honestly, he shouldn’t be so surprised at the sensation given that he used a lubricant of his own design for his own needs, but this was _so_ much better. And there was just something so _intensely_ arousing about the fact that she’d used her own slickness as a natural substitute. She was as clever as she was beautiful.

It was much easier to follow the motion now that she had slicked up his member. Rapunzel was sure her wrist would thank her later.

But in the meantime, it meant she could focus more on him. Watching his breath, hot and ragged as he let the sensation of her hand take over. Half lidded, glossy eyes stared back at her from under his silky bangs. There was less squirming now between her legs.

Varian could feel the telltale tightening of his testes that signaled an imminent orgasm, his heart pounding and chest heaving as she worked him right up to the edge, the intense buildup of pleasure almost dizzying. He was almost there…

Rapunzel felt a distinct pulse run down his erection, one stronger and more palpable than any before. He was close now, she was sure. "Come on," she whispered. It had to be a sign.

The dam broke at her whispered encouragement. “ _Rapunzel!_ ” he cried out desperately as an eruption of utter bliss overtook his senses, his back arching sharply as thick ropes of cum spurted from his tip with enough pressure to coat his belly and thighs with the proof of his release.

Rapunzel thought she spied some of the white substance spilling onto the chair, but she quickly turned her attention back to Varian as she realized she was about to let go of him. She held on though, wanting to make sure he rode through the full release.

After a few seconds, the spurts stopped, and she could feel his erection softening. She gently placed the now flaccid member down into his lap.

Panting, he allowed his head to fall against her, intense waves of gratification washing over him as he nuzzled into her.

Rapunzel hummed a note of satisfaction. "There…" she murmured as she wrapped her arms around him.

She'd done well, and it was gratifying to know that she was the one who had brought him this moment of bliss.

A few quiet moments passed as Varian recovered in her arms, soaking in her warmth and sweetness. Then he stirred, his own arms moving to wrap around her in a loose, easy embrace. “Rapunzel…” he murmured dreamily through the hazy fog of lingering pleasure. He pressed a soft kiss to the crook of her neck. “You’re _wonderful_.”

"Not as wonderful as you," she said as she kissed the silky raven locks on the top of his head, and Varian smiled against her neck at the returned sentiment, her soft kiss warming him.

Rapunzel didn't want to let go, not yet. Their embrace was so relaxed, a sweet reprieve from their earlier passion. But they were going to have to clean up the mess of his release eventually. With some reluctance, she broke the moment of shared silence. "Mmm…I'm going to have to go get something to clean up."

“No no, I’ll…I’ll get it,” Varian mumbled, not wanting her to deal with the sticky mess he’d made.

That being said, he made no move to lift his head from her shoulder, instead nuzzling himself just beneath her ear. He loved the way she smelled, like flowers and honey and sunshine. “Eventually…” he added, giving her a gentle squeeze.

She giggled softly, smelling an odd mix of vanilla and exertion between hair strands. "You don't even know where the linens are." Though admittedly, he could find them quickly enough within the confined space, but that still meant separating, however briefly.

Unless…

There was one piece of fabric nearby. She might not even need to stand up to get it, if it was crumpled on the floor behind her. The nightgown already needed washing.

"Hold on. I'm going to move us slightly but I'm not gonna let go okay?"

With her arms still wrapped around him, she slowly rose back onto her knees, and balancing herself on one knee, stretched and lowered a leg out behind her. Her shin sunk into the edge of the cushion as she hooked and flexed her toes around some of the fabric. In one swift motion, she back-kicked the nightgown onto his lap behind her. "Got it."

Varian gave a mumbled complaint at being shifted, but was mildly curious as to what she was up to. He peeked over her shoulder just in time to witness her blue nightgown flopping onto his leg, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. She just continued to impress him. “You’re pretty dexterous, huh?” he complimented her as she grabbed the article of clothing.

"Oh yeah! I get a lot of practice using my hair to move around the rafters," she replied as she rolled the fabric in her hand. There was a faint musty scent to it, separate from themselves.

It was the smell of _her_ she realized. Some of her wetness had dried into the fabric. The thought made her blush slightly, both out of strange modesty, but also at the idea of dirtying the same fabric with both of their fluids.

Varian’s eyes roved upwards, taking in the crisscrossing beams supporting the structure of the tower. She actually went _up_ there? Using her _hair_?

"Now let's get you cleaned up,” she said, bringing his attention back to ground level. “That way we can keep cuddling without worrying about it~"

Cuddling some more sounded _very_ appealing. Leaning back against the chair again, Varian reached for the blue nightdress. It was almost a shame to use the pretty dress for something like cleaning up cum, but…it wasn’t like there was anything else conveniently close at hand. Staining wouldn’t be a problem though, he could whip up an alchemical solution for that easily enough.

But then she began mopping up the white fluid herself, completely ignoring his proffered hand, and Varian briefly considered stopping her. Then he realized it would probably cause undue awkwardness to fight her on it, and she didn’t seem to mind…so he settled back and let her take care of him, only blushing slightly. He’d just have to make sure to return the favor.

“So...you use your hair to move around the...rafters?“ he prompted, still fascinated by the idea and hoping for a slight distraction.

"Yeah! It's long enough that I can loop it and even cradle myself safely in it while I'm painting!" she explained as she moved from cleaning his thighs to his belly. Between each area, she rolled the nightgown to dab a different, clean part of the fabric against him. "It can be pretty fun. Sometimes when I get bored I'll try doing tricks. A lot of swinging and flips. That kind of thing. Though I don't do it as much as I used to…I had a bad spill once, but that was a while ago."

Varian listened as she described her experiences using her hair to move through the rafters, enjoying the sound of her voice as she chattered away. He’d once seen trapeze artists perform with a traveling fair when he was young, and he imagined Rapunzel performing some of their more graceful routines.

“Do you think you could show me sometime?” he asked, idly rubbing his thumb against her hip.

"I—" No one had ever _asked_ to see it. Mother had humored her, but it made the woman anxious to think of her hair tearing. "I'd love to," she breathed. She quickly wound the nightgown so that the freshly soaked section was in the middle of a tight ball and tossed it aside without sparing a glance.

"But in the meantime, kiss me again?" she said with a small trill, her voice rising as she finished the question.

Oh, she didn’t have to ask _him_ twice, and with a smile Varian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight to his chest, connecting their mouths in a soft kiss.

By this point he’d regained a decent amount of energy and was ready to put every last drop of it into making Rapunzel feel the same pleasure she’d given him, his hands roaming along her back. He might not be in a state where he could become physically aroused again so soon, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t enjoying the feeling of her bosom squishing against him, the soft swell splaying around her pert nipples as they pressed into him.

Rapunzel purred at the unhindered touch of his skin against hers, her breasts now free to press against his chest without barrier. His lips had warmed again—something she'd have to ask him about later—and she let her tongue glide along his bottom lip before teasing it with a tug between her teeth.

“Mm…” Varian groaned into the kiss, wondering just who was trying to rile _who_ here as he met her tongue with his own, attempting to slide past and into the inviting warmth of her mouth.

Feeling bolder than he had before she’d…well…brought him to orgasm, his hands slid down her back to cup her rear, pulling her hips flush to his as he kneaded his fingers into the pliant skin through the cloth of her panties.

Rapunzel made a soft mewling sound as he pushed her hips down, lightly applying pressure through her rear to do so. It sent an unexpected jolt straight to her arousal. The leak of her wetness had calmed a bit in the minutes she had spent on him, but the warmth still bubbled, heated by the satisfaction of watching Varian enjoy himself under her.

She had never thought much of her butt, but even through her panties the squish of the fatty tissue was satisfying in a way she’d never imagined. And the grind of their hips was exciting, even without his hardness. The rolling motion was simply wonderful as it stretched her tight pelvic muscles.

Her enticing little noises confirmed for Varian how much she was enjoying herself, and he doubled down, increasing the pressure of his squeezes to her supple ass, fully enjoying himself as his tongue twined with hers. Without the extra layers of cloth between them, he could feel that warm slickness returning, making the grind of their hips much smoother, increasing the sensation and making him moan softly.

She could feel the vibration of his groan rumble through her mouth, and it made her purr back. He still had energy to enjoy himself with her, and the thought made her grin between their next kiss.

There were warm drips beginning to wind down the inside of her thighs. Barely a few, she nonetheless felt that coil inside her gut begin to tighten itself again.

When they next broke for air, Varian decided to try a new tactic, ducking his head to plant hungry kisses along her slim jawline until he reached her ear. Latching his teeth on the soft lobe, he gave a gentle pull.

“Oh!" she yelped. Now that was a surprise! Her ear twinged a moment, before the sting turned to heat as his hot breath squeezed through his teeth. She pulled a hand up from his back sharply to firmly clench the raven locks on the back of his head. The teal stripe of his bangs brushed along her now tender jawline, almost tickling her skin.

Her strong reaction told Varian that she was either _really_ into it or he’d actually hurt her, and he quickly released her ear in favor of gently nuzzling behind it, pressing soft kisses. “You okay?” he asked.

"Yeah, just surprised is all,” she breathed over the back of his neck. His lips moved over her sensitive neckline, sending tingles down her spine. "I really wasn't expecting that one."

“Well…” Varian said, giving the ridge of her ear a light nibble before continuing, “Do you like surprises?”

"Yes! Especially ones that are—exciting!" A small lilt interrupted her words as he gently played with her ear. "Wh-what were you thinking?"

Varian smiled. Her enthusiasm was so _cute_. “Well it’s not exactly a surprise if I tell you,” he teased her, giving her ass a healthy squeeze before sliding his hands to her hips and scooting her back slightly. “But if you want it to be _exciting_ …how about you turn around for me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles —** [In place of a comment, have this meme.](https://imgflip.com/i/504f7b)
> 
>  **Blondehairstripe —** What's this? Even _more_ spice to come? These two just can't get enough of each other can they? 😏


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

Turn around? But...then she wouldn’t be able to look at him. Although…that _could_ be exciting!

"Okay," Rapunzel replied, leaning her hands on the arms of the chair so she could more easily switch her knees around as she twisted to face away from him. No sooner had she repositioned herself than Varian wound his arms around her middle and pulled her back into him, the suddenness catching her off guard with a squeak.

With a heavy breath, Varian leaned down to shower fleeting kisses across her shoulder and towards her sensitive neck. When he reached her pulse he stopped to nuzzle the spot, before parting his lips to gently suck at it, teasing the flesh with the occasional flick of his tongue. He tasted the slightest hint of salt, no doubt from perspiration, but to Varian it only accentuated the natural sweetness of her skin.

"Mm...that feels good~" she whispered. Her head tipped to the side, stretching the expanse of skin swelling under his lips as her fingers wrapped around the arms of the chair, white knuckled.

Varian felt a small thrill as she offered her neck to him, and he readily accepted, kissing up the delicate column until he reached her ear again. He lightly ran the tip of his tongue along the rim as he unwrapped one of his arms from around her, sliding his hand up her ribs to cup her breast and squeeze the malleable flesh as he softly blew on the wet trail he’d left on her ear.

Rapunzel shivered as his breath chilled the wet strip like ice before warming again as he slowed. "Ooh—that's cold!" His hand was cupping her breast again, kneading it between his fingers and sending a frisson through her chest. Her heart fluttered against her rib cage as her upper back arched slightly into his touch.

Varian unwrapped his arm from around her to instead take hold of her chin and turn her head to the side to look at him. “Want me to warm you up?” he asked, a hint of cockiness entering his tone as his other hand continued to fondle her breast, teasing her nipple with light flicks of his thumb as he squeezed the soft underside of the fleshy globe.

"Um…sure?" she breathed between flicks of her hardened nipple. Almost taking… _command_ like that, pulling her chin to face him so she could stare intoxicatingly into his eyes while he asked her…

Rapunzel realized belatedly how the tables had now been turned—and that he likely meant to finally attend the swirling mass of her arousal more _directly_. Her heart skipped a beat as it dawned on her.

“Hm…you don’t sound so sure,” Varian mused, enjoying the way her pupils dilated as he drew her closer, their lips just barely brushing as he rubbed his thumb along her jaw. He gave the peak of her breast a sharp tweak, hoping that might draw the sort of reaction he was searching for.

As he drew in, she managed to mewl, "I— _yess_! I would like to be warm-ed!" Her cheeks flushed as he caused a lilt in her cadence when he tugged on her pert nipple. "Please, Varian?" she added hurriedly.

Varian felt himself melt, even as he felt the tight stirrings of arousal in his lower belly. She was so adorable when she asked—no, _begged_ like that.

He answered her with a swift kiss, and she whimpered softly into the warm cavern of his mouth as he sucked and teased at her lips, letting go of her chin to slowly ghost his finger down her throat. He squeezed her unattended breast, sending a quick jolt to her heart, before pathing down the center of her rib cage and over her tender midsection. Instinctively, her abdomen quivered, his finger tip almost tickling as she felt goosebumps prickling along her neck. _Almost there_.

The way she whimpered and quivered beneath his touch was _intoxicating_ to Varian, sending a thrill shooting along his spine, along with the desire to draw things out a little, maybe build her up into just a bit more of a frenzy before he gave her what she was obviously starting to crave.

His finger paused as it reached her navel, before lazily drawing circles around the small indent as he finally broke the kiss, not wanting to strain her neck too much. He kneaded her breast more softly now, wanting her to focus on the sensations closer to the heat between her legs.

As their lips parted, she turned down to see what had stopped him, only to find him circling her navel. "Varian…" His ministrations on her breast also slowed, a gentle tease compared to the more intense massage of earlier.

She gazed as his finger twirled over her belly, anticipation building in the heat of her arousal, before turning back to face him with a mewl.

Her shimmering green eyes and soft, needy noise made Varian falter, and he couldn’t resist leaning into her again, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Yes?” he asked, flattening his hand on her stomach and smoothing over the tight skin there. He was actually a bit surprised at how toned she was, but he supposed it made sense if she was even half as acrobatic as she’d told him she was.

" _Please_ don't stop," she insisted with surprising firmness. But the low pitch of her voice gave away her growing desperation.

To emphasize her point, she pressed forward into his lips with hungry urgency.

_There_ was the fervor he’d been waiting for. He readily returned her kiss, even as he finally slid his hand down her lower belly until his fingers touched the waistband of her panties.

He hesitated, wondering if he should simply slip beneath the fabric, or if he should touch her through the material. Undecided, he skimmed the line of it with his fingers as he gave her breast a tight squeeze, hoping it would be enough to sate her until he could figure out what to do.

Rapunzel groaned. He had stopped _again_ , although this time he seemed more hesitant than teasing. It frustrated her all the same.

She let the tip of her tongue touch his lips, requesting entrance. This time, she pressed her rump down behind her, leaning into his pelvis.

As her tongue gently prodded at his lips for access, it occurred to Varian that she hadn’t actually explored his mouth yet, had she? Then he felt her practically grinding herself against his crotch, and he released a sharp gasp into the kiss.

There was no doubt that she was growing impatient, and he made the snap decision to give her what she wanted in the most direct way possible, slipping his fingers beneath her waistband and into the soft, damp curls that lay beneath.

"F-finally," she breathed, before plunging her tongue between his lips, hot and demanding as she explored and tasted him fully, making Varian’s heart race at the pleasurable sensations.

She traced the grind of his teeth, moving to the roof of his mouth as her tongue brushed against the furthest ridges. There was an odd tang—not quite saccharine, like the vanilla, but more mellow. The languid strokes of her tongue quickened as his own tongue eagerly rubbed against hers.

The deep kiss distracted Varian from his previous uncertainty, and his fingers easily slid beyond the tufted curls to her succulent center, the thrill of finally making direct contact with her heat sending a shiver through him. He knew there was an incredibly sensitive bundle of nerves located somewhere within the velvety softness of her folds, and the slick slide of his fingers created moist sounds as he searched for it.

His exploratory touch sent a wave of warm pleasure rolling through Rapunzel. It was deeper, more raw than anything he had already elicited from her and she groaned, surprised as the tension coiling in her gut reached into her chest, making her heart pound a hard beat.

In the silence of the room, the only sounds she could hear were their overlapping breaths and the damp noises accompanying the movement of his forefingers through her folds. She blushed, somewhere between bashful and excited that he could make those sounds through _her_. Those same digits moved around the plump lips surrounding her moist center, gravitating inward as he ran a finger under the outermost velum. It rubbed in a way that was very satisfying, as if scratching a deep itch hidden just beneath the tender throb of her arousal.

There was barely any friction as he searched, but there was a delectable pressure as she felt the fervent pulse against his hand. “ _V-Varian…_ ”

The breathlessness in her voice told Varian that he was certainly on the right track, and his fingers continued their exploration as he gently kneaded her breast with his free hand. He’d seen diagrams in medical textbooks of women’s sexes, but that didn’t do much for him when she was still hidden from him…and he wasn’t exactly at the correct angle for viewing anyway.

As he traced through her quivering folds, he was intrigued to find that he could feel a light pulse if he pushed his finger against her firmly enough. Scissoring his fingers, he traced them up either side of her inner folds, hoping to cover a little more ground this way as he continued to work through her valleys, experimenting with pressures.

Rapunzel moaned softly, the parted attention further feathering the deep ache growing in her loins. His touch continued to make her quiver, especially along the inside of her thighs, which were straining to hold her up under the pleasure radiating through them. She felt about ready to buckle under the growing candescence when the tips of his fingers finished their caress of her sides to rendezvous together, pinching a small, swollen button at the apex of her folds.

“ _Aa-ah, Varian! Th-that's—_ “ she gasped, interrupting herself to let out a long, hot moan as a fiery frisson ran through her, moving from her groin through her torso and up into her cheeks. The hazy feeling swirling her thoughts was now fully heady as she felt a sanguine rush fill her. Her back arched, and she let her head loll back over his shoulder, feeling her scalp graze the back of the chair.

Varian’s eyes widened at her passionate response, arousal swirling in his gut as she arched her back and pushed her lovely breasts out, her head falling back into his shoulder with a moan that shivered through him. _He’d found it_.

Focusing all of his attention on the coveted spot, he moved his fingers atop what he could now recognize as a small, swollen nub nestled in her folds. He pressed his fingers directly on top of it, before gently rubbing it back and forth, gradually increasing the pressure as pleasured noises tumbled from her lips.

The moment she signaled the growing height of her passion, he brought in both fingers to coax more responses out of her. They pressed in together, and she could feel her pelvic muscles clenching at the sudden exertion. " _Mmm_!" she mumbled through her closed lips.

Then he rubbed it back and forth, and from that point a steady stream of half formed moans and mumbles tumbled forth, beckoned by the upswell. "Aaah…mmm…ah, _yesss_ , th-that's…"

The more focus he paid her tight nub, the more the growing flame in her blazed, its heat slowly disrupting her other thoughts. She opened her eyes for just a moment as the pressure increased, wanting to see the look of the one creating these intoxicating waves.

Varian’s features were a mixture of concentration and wonder, enthralled by her enticing noises and the way she trembled in his hold, and Rapunzel knew with that look she was in good hands—if everything hadn't already proven that.

Noticing her gaze, he turned his head to look at her, his fingers now moving her sensitive button in tight circles. The look of hazy pleasure in her eyes complimented the pretty flush of her cheeks, her soft pink lips parted as she panted.

She was _beautiful_ , and he couldn’t resist leaning down to capture her lips again, eating up her pleasured noises as he gave her clit a light pinch before slowly sliding his fingers down the center of her folds. It was only when he felt his finger dip slightly that he knew he’d finally found the ultimate prize.

Her eyes fluttered closed, trusting him to continue. It was hard to focus her tongue as fiercely as before, instead letting him take the initiative as he took her next moan as an invitation.

He pinched her swelled button again, before abruptly letting go. It was almost a welcome reprieve as she took the opportunity to take a deeper breath, but there was the barest hint of a whimper rising from her throat. It didn't finish forming as he slid his finger down and over her slit, teasing the entrance with the slightest of dips, her voice transforming with a begging lilt.

Her pleading whimper made Varian groan in response, enjoying every reaction he could coax from her—how _he_ was the one who was making her feel such pleasure. Breaking the kiss, he traced his hand up from her breast to crook a finger under her chin, keeping her gaze on him as he looked down at her with heavy-lidded eyes.

Flattening his finger against the pulsing heat between her legs, he rubbed over the sensitive flesh of her entrance, stimulating the nerves before teasingly curling the digit just enough to plug the quivering hole with the pad of his finger before rubbing it in tight circles. “Rapunzel…” he murmured huskily, his thumb caressing her kiss-swollen bottom lip. “Do you want me inside you?”

She was growing to love these moments where he was _assertive_ , turning her chin to face him when he wanted her full attention on his next words, his voice low and laced with a hint of cockiness. He could tell how much she wanted this.

"Aaah…yes! _Please_."

Varian needed no further prompting, the tip of his finger sinking into her tight heat. He swallowed as she pulsed around him, almost seeming to draw his finger deeper into her, but he was careful to pace himself, not only to tease, but to make sure she was comfortable, pushing in slowly.

There was the slightest burn as something foreign slipped past the circle of her entrance, but it evaporated as she felt the tip of his finger slowly graze against the _inside_ of her passage. Instinctively she felt its muscles tighten, as a mixed jolt of warmth and chilly surprise rolled through her. She gasped, and then took a deep breath as she let herself relax around him, his digit slowly working its way inside.

"Varian,” she breathed as she held back the strange, growing urge to gyrate her hips. She was eased into savoring the gentle protrusion, although she worried that she might not be able to accommodate him, given how tight she remained even despite her attempts to calm herself.

She pried an arm from the chair, pulling it up over her shoulder, searching for a tuft of his hair.

Her fingers found his jawline first, and Varian moved his hand to capture them, lifting them to his mouth and pressing tender kisses to the slim digits as he continued to push further into her, relishing the tight squeeze of her silken walls.

Rapunzel shivered as his first knuckle wound along the edge of her cavity. As more of his finger found its way in, she moaned softly, taking in the sensation, until it sunk in past the second bone and finally seemed to come to the hilt of his hand.

Finally, his finger was fully seated within her and he went still, giving her a moment to adjust to the intrusion. “Rapunzel,” he murmured between soft kisses, turning her hand over so he could love on her palm as well.

The soft kisses on her slim fingers were a fair substitute for his silky locks. The sweet caress of his lips on her hand made her feel…cared for. Loved, almost. As her heart swelled in a moment of adoration, she could feel the uncomfortable tension in her pelvis seeping away as she relaxed a little more.

Her walls continued to coil around his finger, but between their flexes there was more ease, each constriction coming from a more relaxed state. His finger felt both larger and smaller than she remembered it. It filled more of her than expected, but there still seemed to be the tiniest gap left, and some part of her almost wanted it enclosed.

But this was also very new, and very different, and it was enough. "…Varian," she breathed back, returning the affection her name had been imbued with.

Varian smiled against her palm, before finally releasing her hand to lean down and nuzzle at her cheek as he began to gently wiggle his finger free of her slick passage. It was so much tighter than he’d expected, and the thought of the vice-like heat wrapped around his member was enough to send a pleasurable jolt straight to his loins. However, it was still too soon for anything to truly stir between his legs again, so he contented himself with pressing the meat of his palm over the sensitive nub he’d been toying with earlier and grinding against it as his finger pulled free of her core.

"Oh~" she exhaled as he dragged his finger out of her carnal grip, feeling each knuckle gently rub against her on their way out. "Varian, that was… _mm_!" she interrupted herself as a callous in the dip of his hand grazed over her nub, sending an unexpected spike straight through her. She trembled, and softly whined as it reached her headspace. Her thoughts were becoming fuzzier, again, and she was made very aware of how much tension had been growing within that billowing heat inside her. It had risen into what felt like a plateau, a pleasant bubbly feeling consuming her, unchanging. "V-Varian, I'm…"

Her trembling and whining signaled to Varian that he should probably focus on bringing her to completion. The last thing he wanted was to sexually frustrate her with too much teasing. “I know, Rapunzel,” he told her soothingly, kissing her forehead before shifting his fingers so the pads rested against her clit again. “Let me make you feel good.”

Pressing down firmly, he worked her sensitive nub in tight circles, occasionally flicking his fingers back and forth. His other hand found her breast again and caught her nipple between nimble fingers, rolling and tugging the pink bud in tandem with the movement of his fingers between her legs.

“ _P-please_!" she breathed, her voice tightly lilting again as he returned to his earlier ministrations of her nub. It synchronized with the movements working her breast, and the harmony made her throat sing as she let out another moan. "Varian, it's _good_ , it's—" Her speech fell prey to the intensified feelings making her heady, devolving into another string of pleasured noises. The sweet press of his lips against her forehead helped keep her steady as the waves reached closer to something euphoric.

It was almost overwhelming. She had never imagined that her body could contain so much. Ready to unleash wanton waves of pleasure, should she just prod it in the right way. It had been hiding from her, all of her life.

The level of pressure he was applying was excellent, but her pelvis seemed to want for a certain…rhythm. With little thought, she could feel a vibration working through her hips, urging her to gyrate ever so slightly against him. Lost in the feelings making her arousal a swirling mass of wet warmth, she sank in deeper.

Something good was so close, she could tell. It was just a matter of getting past this…invisible barrier.

In fact, with the added movement it was—

When she began to rock her hips against him, Varian knew she must be getting close, her chest heaving beneath his touch as impassioned mewling noises escaped her lips. Breathing heavily himself, he leaned down to kiss at her neck, running his tongue along her fluttering pulse as he massaged her breast with deep rolling squeezes. Parting his fingers once more, he gave her clit a firm pinch as he rolled his hips up into her, wanting to give her as much stimulation as possible.

The kisses peppering the line of her pulse, the deep press of his hand on her breast as he let her heave and rock…

And then he pressed and squeezed her swollen nub while simultaneously grinding his hips up into her, effectively pinning her in a place while she bucked one last time—

"Yes! Varia _aaah_!" she cried as the coil burst within her, flooding her with heat and pleasure from the tips of her curling toes to the roots of her hair. It was like being consumed by pure sunlight, intense and inescapable, and her body arched and trembled in his arms as her cry devolved into an incoherent mewl. It trailed off his name, unfinished in its praise as the all-encompassing warmth burned through her, her muscles spasming as his fingers continued to work her through her bliss, until the rush ended several languid moments later.

She let herself drift down onto him, coming to sit as the tension left her legs. They ached in a way that made her hum between breaths.

Carefully, Varian slid his hand from beneath her panties to rub her belly soothingly. “You’re so beautiful,” he breathed against her skin, pressing featherlight kisses to her cheek. She had been _gorgeous_ as she’d ridden out her orgasm—he’d actually had to remind himself to breathe while watching her fall apart in his arms.

He called her _beautiful_. Rapunzel felt like she was glowing, even with how drowsy she was in this moment. "Varian, that was _amazing_ ,” she said, breathing hard as she came down from her pleasured high.

Slowly, and with great reluctance, she began peeling herself off him, weaving her fingers between the ones gracing her belly. Before he could voice the concern she could sense brewing, she lifted her legs, one at time to turn herself back around to face him, beaming.

Once Varian realized what she was doing, the concerned frown that had been forming easily slipped into a small smile, and he felt his heart flutter at how adorably _happy_ she looked. There was just something so satisfying about knowing _he_ was the reason for that smile.

He gladly received her once she’d fully turned back into him, pulling her close and tucking her against his chest as he rubbed a hand along her back. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

She hummed aimlessly as he kissed her forehead. She fit comfortably against him, her heart swelling once more as he held her. A hand managed to squeeze out of his hold, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair as she closed her eyes a moment. The pace of her heart was slowing as she melted, basking in the memory of what they had just shared.

She rested a while longer, enjoying the rub along her back.

And then…

She pushed herself just a few inches away, so she could look at his face properly as her other hand came up to cup his cheek.

"Enjoyed it? Varian, that was one of the _best_ things I've ever done—or had done to me! It felt so _good_ , it was so warm, so _hot_ , and you were so _fantastic_ at every point! I had no idea I could even do that!"

Varian couldn’t help but soak in the praise, his cheeks pinkening as he smiled at her bashfully. “I…you really think so?” If his hands weren’t already preoccupied with holding her, he might have been inclined to rub the back of his neck.

But then…there was something about her admittance that she’d had no idea she was capable of...well, orgasm. On its own it might not have been particularly noteworthy—just an indicator of her sexual inexperience—but given the context clues he’d gathered about her life situation, it niggled at him in an uncomfortable way.

But he didn’t want to ruin the happiness sparkling in her eyes, so he tucked those thoughts away for the moment. He’d bring up his concerns once they were in a slightly less…intimate setting.

Rapunzel smiled, a bubbly happiness welling up in her chest. It was simply adorable how he had gone from so…teasing to bashful. A beautiful blush bloomed under his freckles as he listened to her praise. Did he know how cute he looked, gazing at her adoringly from behind his bangs? She yearned to keep seeing that expression, and she would give as many compliments as it took to make him believe her.

"Yes! And you have no idea how excited I am to do it again!" she continued. He seemed to perk a little at that, smile widening as her words sank in. "…later though. Right now I just want to kiss you."

It was so _refreshing_ how honest she was about what she wanted. And knowing she wanted _him_ , and that there would be a _next time_ filled Varian with a heady rush of pure joy. How did he get so lucky to find an amazing girl like Rapunzel? Leaning down, he happily obliged her desire for a kiss, pressing his lips to hers softly as he slid a hand into the roots of her hair.

This time, she pressed her lips gently, enjoying the sensation of his lips on hers. The light tangy flavor was there, mixed with faint vanilla as she slowly mapped his lips to memory. She let her hands comb his hair, feeling the silky locks run over her fingers.

"We're both going to need a bath…" she said, giggling between kisses.

The mention of a bath instantly conjured the image of Rapunzel lounging in a bubble-filled tub, her toned leg raised from the water as she ran her hands along its length, and Varian felt his cheeks heat. “Heh, yeah…probably,” he agreed. Then it dawned on him that he didn’t exactly have a change of clothes with him. His shirt and vest were probably fine but his pants…

Shifting under her slightly, he became aware of the fabric sticking to his thighs. Yeah, they were going to need treatment.

“...and some laundry,” he chuckled. In the back of his mind he was already contemplating alchemical solutions to get the stains out, but at the forefront was the pretty girl in his lap. He wasn’t sure how soon he’d be able to bring himself to pry away from her to take care of cleaning up—he certainly didn’t _want_ to.

She hummed a note of agreement as she returned to kissing his succulent lips. Even without hot passion, it just felt so right to kiss him. Her wetness had dried, her arousal having cooled off, and she scented that faint odour that had stained her nightgown.

Come to think of it, he hadn't brought much with him, had he? And she had spent a great deal of time rubbing against him…

Her panties felt a little odd, a mix of wet and dry, clinging to her legs where it was still moist while Varian’s pants had her wetness all over the front of them. That probably wasn't comfortable, if it was anything like her own soiled garment. But asking him to strip from this position, while she was sitting on him…

It could wait a little. Right now she just wanted to enjoy the loving caress of his lips on hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Flirty Freckles —** Baby's first orgasm~!
> 
> **Blondehairstripe —** Oh yeah, _sure_ Varian. You get one handjob from a pretty girl and you think you're all that and a bag of chips. 😂


End file.
